13 Hafiz Muslim Students burnt alive in Botataung, Yangon

Note: Islamic leaders based in Yangon, NLD memebers including prominent leader Min Ko Naing were silent during violences took place in Arakan and they asked to prove evidences because they did fear the violence will be spreaded into central. Rohingya MP also had to bribe about 50 million Kyats to bring the issue at the Parliament.

 

"M-Media could interview two 15-year-old students who had escaped from the burning: "Our school is two-storeyed. We didn't know that it was on fire at first. When we realized that the fire had spread. We ran down the staircase, and we slipped on the oil spilled on the floor. There are about 70 students in our school for the time being. Now (at the time of the interview) 51 students have escaped. The school didn't store any flammables like gasoline or petroleum. The fire started from the shoe cabinet. Our shirts still smell the gasoline now."

"I am now at the burnt place. Fire didn't catch the mosque, it was only inside the school. Three fire engines got here and put out fire. Children who were burnt were found together at one place. To my surprise, one of them didn't catch fire at all but died, and one more thing, as they all were supposed to be asleep in their bed, I cannot understand why they all were burnt to death at one place together. Now, the reason of the fire was told to be wire-shock. Indeed, it cannot be. I talked to people who live in that street, and they told me they heard a loud banging sound two hours before, but they didn't pay attention to where it came from. Later, they said they saw fire from the school, for that at first they thought it was only candlelight, and only sooner they learnt the school was on fire. Now the dead bodies have been taken to the hospital, and those who had escaped were put in a camp. I am sure it was not wire-shock, it was definitely arson", said a witness from the fire-spot to M-Media."

 

13 Hafiz Muslim Students burnt alive in Botataung, Yangon ~ read more http://t.co/P7evveNtg5 2, 1013. — Photo by AFP

 

-------------------------------------------

Source Mayu Press, 2 April

 

On 2th April 2013, around 2.45 AM, Swardikiyah Islamic religious school was set on fire, and 13 school children were burnt alive in 48th Street of Botataung Township, Yangon.

There was more than one hundred students across the country of different regions study and memorize the Holy Qur'an. For unavoidable circumstances, the school was temporarily closed regular study but there were remained staying about 70 students only, and when the fire broke out, 55 of them could escape from fire. Unfortunately, 13 students who were under thirteen years old burnt alive in fire.

This was reported that the fire was claimed to be arson. Fire comes out from the shoe-cabinet first. When the students ran out on knowing the fire had broken out, they slipped on the staircase as it was wet with the petroleum oil, and they could sense the smell of it. The school was a two-storey building, and it was known that only inside the building was on fire.

The school didn't store any flammables like gasoline or petroleum. The burnt dead bodies found together at one place. One of them didn't catch fire at all but died and seemed they were sleeping in the beds. The authority told that the fire caused by wire-shock but people near the School heard a loud banging sound two hours before the ablaze. People no care where from it came as they were slept. The dead bodies had been taken to the hospital morgue, and escaped students kept in a camp. It was not wire-shock, it was definitely arson told by a resident from the fire-spot.

Mohamed Farooq is an activist and a B.Sc. Engineer on Electrical and Electronics.