A/HRC/39/CRP.2 1198. The Rohingya have no protection from vigilante attacks by ethnic Rakhine, which are also prevalent. These include violent attacks, continuing burnings, and theft of land, cattle and property.2728 To the contrary, it appears that the Tatmadaw has facilitated the ethnic Rakhine to carry out attacks. One Rohingya man who fled his village in southern Buthidaung Township in February 2018 explained that, after August 2017, soldiers were regularly patrolling in his village, but more recently they had stopped coming. Instead, ethnic Rakhine were coming into the village and abusing Rohingya. He was told by the ethnic Rakhine chairman of his village tract that the Tatmadaw “have given us the responsibility to protect the country from Rohingya”.2729 Another Rohingya man saw his paddy fields taken by his Rakhine neighbours who said that they were told to do so by the Tatmadaw. 2730 1199. The continuing destruction of Rohingya properties through fires has compounded the oppressive conditions in northern Rakhine State. 20 per cent of the total destruction occurred after 16 September 2017, a total of more than 7,000 structures, and destruction has continued until at least March 2018.2731 1200. Myanmar authorities have continued to pressurise Rohingya to accept NVCs or leave Myanmar in the period since the 25 August 2017 violence.2732 One villager reported that some villagers took the NVC, issued by the authorities in February 2018, “to save their lives.” 2733 Another villager from Kyaung Taung, Buthidaung Township, explained his experience: The soldiers told us that they will leave us in peace, but that we must take the NVCs. We said that we would not take them. The soldiers said that, if we do not accept the NVCs, we must leave.2734 1201. Since 25 August 2017, humanitarian access to vulnerable people in Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung Townships has been severely curtailed for humanitarian actors, who have been prevented by the Myanmar authorities from providing assistance. A series of bureaucratic procedures are being used to limit access. Organizations that have received some level of approval have found that restrictions apply to significantly curtail their ability to operate effectively. Access restrictions have also led a number of humanitarian agencies to withdraw staff from Rakhine State. While some humanitarian agencies have been able to provide some assistance: as it has not been possible for any humanitarian needs assessment to be conducted, the actual circumstances of the Rohingya and other communities remaining in northern Rakhine State are not fully understood.2735 1202. Conditions have also been extremely difficult for a group of approximately 6,500 Rohingya who were displaced in northern Rakhine and who have subsequently settled in an area referred to as the “zero point” or “no man’s land”, between Bangladesh and Myanmar, adjacent to the Taung Pyo Let Yar area of northern Maungdaw Township. Although this area is outside Myanmar’s border fence, it is Myanmar territory. Some Rohingya reportedly settled there with the hope that this may afford them a better right of return. 1203. This group has been subject to continuing threats, and instacnes of violence from the Myanmar authorities, and urged to go to Bangladesh. From approximately February 2018, the Tatmadaw used loudspeakers to broadcast negative abusive message to the Rohingya. 2736 The broadcasts including statements such as: “Leave, stateless Bengali”; “Motherfuckers, leave from here”; “You motherfucker, it is not your mother’s land, you don’t have any rights to this land”.2737 In March 2018, Myanmar troops reinforced their presence along this section of the border, and there were shots fired from the Myanmar side towards the Rohingya in the 2728 2729 2730 2731 2732 2733 2734 2735 2736 2737 284 CI-100, LI-059, LI-087, LI-092, QI-040, QI-064, WI-041, YI-005, YI-026. LI-092. WI-041. Satellite imagery analysis prepared for the Mission by UNITAR-UNOSAT. CI-151, LI-057, QI-063, QI-116, WI-041. CI-151. LI-057. K-069. LI-131. CI-147, CI-148, LI-131, LI-132.