Mizzima
The Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) says it strongly rejects claims by the Arakan Army (AA) labelling them as Bengali, reaffirming their identity as Rohingya and rightful inhabitants of Arakan. They condemn both the Myanmar junta and the AA for denying Rohingya identity and accuse them of genocide.
On 8 February, they issued a statement condemning both the junta and the AA for rejecting the name Rohingya and accusing them of genocide.
“We, the Rohingya people, are the rightful sons and daughters of Arakan, with a rich history and undeniable ties to our homeland. Any attempt to deny our identity as Rohingya and (our claim) as legitimate inhabitants of Arakan is met with strong condemnation,” the statement says.
“Both the junta and the AA are the same for Rohingya when they are denying our identity and stand on the same page for Rohingya genocide. We refuse to differentiate between them in their genocidal actions against the Rohingya community.
“We strongly deny the baseless allegations of collaboration between the RSO and the junta. Such claims are nothing but propaganda aimed at tarnishing our reputation and diverting attention from the real issues at hand.
“We want to clarify that there have been no clashes between the AA and the junta along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, which means there have been no casualties among the Border Guard Police (BGP). However, there were a few injuries on the 4th of this month. The casualties suffered by the BGP along the BD-MN border were a result of our actions.
“The reality is that the AA has bribed high-ranking Myanmar military officials and negotiated with them to surrender, misleadingly abandoning camps under false pretenses. They’ve employed thousands of rounds of heavy caliber to create the illusion of real combat, when in fact there has been no actual war. This deceit will soon be exposed.
“Our team of experts thoroughly examined the images presented by them of captured weapons. We discovered that they often deceive people by repeatedly presenting the same weapon alongside additional ones, and they manipulate the images in various ways. For subsequent presentations, they remove some previously shown weapons and add new ones, creating the false impression that they possess tens of thousands of weapons every day.
“Years of documentation reveal the AA’s involvement in the illicit drug trade, mafia activities, and opium cultivation, just alone poppy cultivation amounting to a $15 billion illegal business annually in Myanmar. The AA’s war aims to safeguard their share of this money, with little regard for the welfare of their Rakhine people. They exploit Rohingya from IDP camps, engage in human trafficking, and maintain ties with international criminal organizations. This underscores the pressing need for accountability and justice in Arakan.
“While we advocate for peaceful coexistence between the Rakhine and Rohingya communities, we are resolute in reclaiming our rightful place in Arakan. We are prepared to confront any obstacle standing in the way of justice for the Rohingya people.
“Together, we must strive for a future where all communities in Arakan can coexist in harmony and mutual respect. The Rohingya Solidarity Organization remains committed to achieving this vision through peaceful means, but we will not hesitate to defend our rights and dignity.”
