AA accuses Muslim organisations of weaponising term ‘genocide’

By Admin 01 May 2024

DMG Newsroom
1 April 2024, Sittwe

The Arakkha Army (AA) has accused the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA) and Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) and their allies of weaponizing the term ‘genocide.’

“In the name of human rights, such Muslim terrorist organisations as the ARSA, ARA and RSO and relevant organisations are spreading propaganda and deploying the term ‘genocide’ as a weapon to implement their extremist religious policies,” AA spokesman U Khaing Thukha wrote on his Facebook on Tuesday.

The AA spokesman was remarking in response to an April 27 report by the Bangladesh-based Rohingya Forcibly Displaced Myanmar National Representative Committee alleging that the regime and the AA are committing the second genocide against Muslims in Arakan State.

The report alleged that the regime and the AA killed 114 Muslims from April 17 to April 25 in northern Arakan State.

The AA and its political wing the United League of Arakan (ULA) have strongly condemned the report.

“This can lead to a serious misunderstanding between the two races. All the Myanmar people and international organisations who love the truth must join hands to stop the organisations and individuals who are faking genocides just to line their own pockets,” U Khaing Thukha said.

The AA and residents said the regime has been using Muslims to create racial and religious conflicts amid the intense fighting in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships in northern Arakan State.

Last month, the regime and armed Muslim men torched an office of the international aid organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and houses of non-Muslim residents in Buthidaung town.

The regime has either persuaded or coerced Muslims into staging protests against the AA. It has also conscripted Muslims, and sent them to the front line to fight the AA.

Muslim activists should be careful with their statements as they could trigger a racial conflict, said an activist from Arakan State.

“The situation in Buthidaung and Maungdaw is quite sensitive. So, organisations or individuals who are advocating for the rights of Muslims must make sure their statements are unbiased.”

Added the activist: “While they are crying foul over the [plight of Muslims] in Arakan State, they have said nothing about the terrorist acts of Muslims.”

On April 19, the UN human rights chief said Arakan State had “once again become a battleground involving multiple actors, and civilians are paying a heavy price, with Rohingya [Muslims] at particular risk.”

“They are now trapped between two armed factions who have a track record of killing them. We must not allow the Rohingya to be targeted again,” added the UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk.

Türk did not mention a word about armed Muslim groups in his statement and focused solely on Muslim victims when talking about the impacts of war in Arakan State, said the AA, which called Türk’s statement full of biassed information and accusations.  

The AA said it was formed to protect all of the racial groups of different faiths in Arakan State, and that it has not targeted any innocent civilians including Muslims, and that it would continue to protect all people living in Arakan State.