BREAKING: Myanmar BGP fires 300 rounds near Bangladesh border
12 FEBRUARY: Around 4.30am Bangladesh time, there was intense and sustained firing of guns by the Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) near the "No Man's Land" Rohingya community in Taung Pyo (Tumbro).
Dil Mohammed, a spokesman for the community said, "We have no idea why they fired up to 300 rounds." He continued "You can imagine how frightened the people in this camp are as a result of this. What is the objective of the BGP? Are they trying to force us to move?"
The Myanmar border forces regularly intimidate the Rohingya encampment at Taung Pyo. In the past, they have shot at and injured children in the "No Man's Land" community. However according to Dil Mohammed, there has not been such a barrage of sustained gunfire.
Today is Union Day in Myanmar. It is possible that this provided a pretext to intimidate the Rohingya refugees. Rohingya activists point out that it is highly exceptional for Union Day to be marked with gunfire. They believe the purpose was one of intimidation. Moreover, firing at the border near Bangladesh is outside of the protocol observed by the two countries.