Remote Controlled Balloons Suspected To Be Used For Arson Attack In Maungdaw

RB News 

March 13, 2014

Maungdaw, Arakan – The fire on March 10, 2014 in the Maungdaw Township of Arakan State was suspected to be an arson attack. Some suspicious items have been found by villagers which contains chemical powder.

An eyewitness claimed that Rohingya villagers in Sin Thay Pyin hamlet of Longdon village tract saw a very small plane controlled by remote device was flying over the roofs of their homes on March 8, 2014. Some villagers tried to pull it down with a long bamboo but didn’t succeed.

On March 11, 2014 the villagers in Kyat Yoe Pyin village tract found three balloons flying over their village. They found them nearby an old school in the west hamlet, bazaar and Lu Thay Fara hamlet. They managed to pull them down. The Village Administrator Rafique informed the police. The police came and took photos. They asked the villagers to keep them inside the office of the Village Administration. 

Similarly, a plane shaped balloon was flying over a paddy field in Ywat Nyo Taung village on March 12, 2014 at 4 pm. Villagers pulled it down. Another ballon, a fish shaped one, was pull down by villagers in Du Dan village. Moreover, villagers pulled down another 5 fish and bird shaped balloons in Longdon village, Ah Htet Pyu Ma village and Nga Sar Kyu village. 

“We do not these see kinds of balloons in our region. We never see them. This is first time we saw them here. We know that these are toys but we found chemical powder inside the balloon, the one we found in Du Dan. I can confirm that the powders were chemical powders. For the right term we will need to examine in the laboratory but it is impossible for us to send somewhere. What I can assure is there are some chemical powders which can blast the fire under the sun. The fire the other day was very strong and it wasn’t like a normal arson attack. Normally the houses pillar remained in normal arson attack but this time all houses pillars were completely burnt down in to ashes. Now we need international experts to come and investigate to know the reality. We are very worried now that they will attack us more soon.” a Rohingya youth who has good knowledge in chemistry told RB News. 

A villager told RB News: “Now they are torching complete villages to make us refugees within our region. Their plan is to send us into deepest trouble. So we will run out from here by boat. This is what one of their policies among Rohingya ethnic cleansing in Arakan state.”

Additional reporting by MYARF and Sindi Khan.

(Photos: The balloons which have chemical powder inside that were pulled down by villagers)