UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk gives a speech at the opening of the 55th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on February 26, 2024. (Photo by GABRIEL MONNET / AFP)
Mizzima
The Arakan Army (AA) has responded to a 19 April statement by the UN Human Rights (OCHR) Chief Volker Türk disputing parts of the statement.
Below is the AA’s response to Volker Türk:
The key issues that we would like to point out are as follows:
No.1
“Rakhine State has once again become a battleground involving multiple actors, and civilians are paying a heavy price, with Rohingya at particular risk,”
In the above-mentioned statement, the commissioner needs to clarify the term “multiple actors”. Clashes have taken place between the Arakan Army and the junta military (SAC). However, it is important for the commissioner to mention that innocent civilians are suffering because of Muslim extremist groups such as ARSA (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army), ARA (Arakan Rohingya Army) and RSO (Rohingya Solidarity Organization) that have re-emerged thanks to the junta authorities instigating problems.
On a different note, stressing the plight of the Muslim community alone means ignoring other non-Muslim groups suffering from the same war. According to our record, since the resurgence of fighting on November 13, 2023, there have been 179 individuals killed and 468 injured of whom less than 25% are Muslims and more than 70% are from non-Muslim ethnic groups. It is therefore clear that the junta has been targeting Arakanese rather than Muslims. Similarly, out of over 300,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), resulting due to the armed clashes between ‘Operation 1027’ and March 21, 2024, only less than 15% are from the Muslim community whereas more than 85% are Arakanese and other non-Muslim ethnic groups. Thus, the statement of the commissioner is contradictory to the facts on the ground and biased.
No.2
“What is particularly disturbing is that whereas in 2017, the Rohingya were targeted by one group, 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.”
In the above statement, by “two armed groups” the commissioner seems to refer to our Arakan Army fighting for self-determination and the Myanmar military which has been oppressing and killing its own people. It is a serious folly to categorize our Arakan Army and fascist military in the same way in terms of
ethics and dignity. Myanmar military is a terrorist group that has been committing innumerable crimes including mass atrocities against Arakanese and Muslims alike in Arakan for decades. 2017 was one of the worst years in terms of their atrocities and the Myanmar military is still facing charges of genocide at ICJ (International Court of Justice). Not only are they still failing to comply with provisional measures but continuing to commit crimes targeting Muslims.
On the other hand, our Arakan Army has been established to protect all the people in Arakan including the Muslims. We have never killed any Muslim civilians intentionally in the past and we will never do that in the future. We will protect all Arakanese citizens in the most effective way we can.
Furthermore, it is astonishing that the statement made no mention of the Muslim extremist groups like ARSA, ARA and RSO that have killed innocent Arakanese, Muslims, and other minority groups in the region. Besides, groups like the ARSA, ARA, RSO and other armed drug-trafficking groups have currently been arresting and killing innocent civilians resulting in a great threat toward the regional stability in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships of northern Arakan.
No.3
Some reports say the military is forcing the Rohingya recruits or villagers to burn ethnic Rakhine homes, buildings or villages. Ethnic Rakhine villagers have allegedly responded in kind by burning Rohingya villages.
The above statement is confusing. According to the records, not only is it true that junta authorities asked Muslim armed groups and villagers to burn down Arakanese houses, buildings and villages but the fact that Muslim extremist groups, ARSA, ARA, RSO and other masked groups launched arson attacks on more than 200 Arakanese houses including an MSF office and robbing foods from the storage of the WFP (World Food Program) on the 18th and 19th of April is a testimony. The statement also failed to mention the case of two young Arakanese killed with their throats slit, which occurred on the 12th of April in Buthidaung. In contrast, the accusation that the Arakanese responded by torching Muslim villages is false. Such incidents never happened anywhere. It is the pure imagination of the commissioner without any evidence.
No.4
Türk said disinformation and propaganda are also rife, pointing to claims that “Islamic terrorists” have taken Hindus and Buddhists hostage. “This was the same kind of hateful narrative that fuelled communal violence in 2012 and the horrendous attacks against the Rohingya in 2017,” he said.
Apparently, the commissioner’s statement is based on the false belief that the situations surrounding the communal conflicts and violence in 2012 and 2017 are the same as the circumstances today. The fact of the matter is that the communal violence and conflicts in 2012 and 2017 broke out as a result of the Myanmar
military (now junta) inciting racial hatred with the aim of making political gains. However, since the establishment of the administrative apparatus, the ULA government has been conducting a campaign with the aim of promoting social harmony and cohesion among different ethnic groups and religions by organizing social and sporting events, including members of the Muslim community in the administrative structures, providing rescue and relief aid to all the people in Arakan irrespective of race or religion during Covid-19 and in the aftermath of Mocha Cyclone. Therefore, even though junta and Muslim extremist groups are bent on instigating religious and racial conflicts, we have managed to prevent innocent civilians of relevant communities from falling into the trap of those malicious groups.
The said event expressed by the Commissioner is a very tragic incident resulting from taking Hindus and Buddhists hostage by the junta-backed terrorist groups such as ARSA and ARA in urban Buthidaung. It is grave discrimination that the Human Rights Commissioner did not even express a word of sympathy for those over 2,000 trapped lives in urban Buthidaung.
No.5
In conclusion, we would like to stress that it is imperative all national and international actors carefully observe and analyze the true situations on the ground now as the military and political situations are very sensitive. If there arise tensions and clashes between different communities due to false or malicious statements, respective individuals or organizations will be held responsible.
The statements mentioned above could lead to misunderstandings and suspicions between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities and cause disrespectful impressions of Arakanese among the international community. In fact, this kind of false statement harms the very notion of our nationwide movement and struggle. Moreover, they tarnish the reputation of the Arakan Army taking a leading role in the nationwide campaign to eliminate dictatorships in Myanmar.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance that all relevant individuals or organizations cooperate with the ULA government if they wish to contribute to the well-being of Arakan and Arakan citizens. We, the ULA government, would also like to assure you that we will equally protect all communities in Arakan regardless of race, ethnicity, and religion.
