NarinjaraNews, 21 May 2024 (Interview)

On thenight of  17 May, many Muslim houses in Buthidaung Township were reportedly burned in an arson attackattributed to the Arakan Army (AA). Additionally, a drone bomb attack on thenumber 1 basic education high school, where Muslim IDPs sought refuge, resultedin  a number of casualties, stated some members of the Muslim community.Allegations are floating that these incidents were carried out by the AAfighters.

Regardingall these situations, our senior reporter Ma Aye Myat Khaing contacted AAspokesperson U Khaing Thu Kha and he clarified many points. Regarding these reports, Khaing Thu Kha asserted that these allegations are completelyfalse and baseless.

“Inreality, there are Muslim terrorist organizations like ARSA, ARA and RSO whoare collaborating with the terrorist junta forces in Buthidaung. Additionally,the Muslim armed forces, who had recently received military training and armsfrom the military junta were also present there. As of last night, those groupswere still in the town. The junta forces conducted airstrikes on Buthidaungtown, resulting in the burning of some houses. This is what happened yesterday,and the fire was caused by the  junta forces conducting airstrikes. Beforethis, between 11 and 21 April, both Muslim terrorist groups and junta forcesset fire to houses  owned by the Arakanese, Hindus and non-Muslims.Approximately 5,000 houses were damaged in the incident. The primary objectiveof these arson attacks was to spark religious and ethnic tensions, aiming toincite anger among the Arakanese community and provoke retaliatory actions totarget the Muslim houses. The Arakanese did not respond by burning houses likethe others had done. When the Arakanese did not retaliate, the junta soldierscould not  incite the religious and ethnic conflicts as they expected.However, they have already committed violent acts such as arson, looting andwar crimes. Crimes against humanity already took place  in Buthidaung. Tocover up their crimes, they set some buildings on fire and recorded themselveson video. Then they sent these video clippings  to internationalorganizations, alleging that the AA fighters carried out the arson attacks.Some selfish individuals conspired to spread this propaganda towards the globalaudience.

Q: Therewere reports of casualties because of AA’s drone bomb attack on number 1 basiceducation high school in Buthidaung. The Muslims fled the conflict to seekrefuge in other places .What is your reaction towards these reports?

A: We havenot targeted civilian locations at all. As stated before, our commitmentremains in assisting innocent civilians, regardless of their religion or ethnicbackgrounds. We are dedicated to support and safeguard all innocent residentsof Arakan State. At the same time, we will take decisive actions againstterrorist organizations and individuals involved in disruptive activities. Wewill continue our efforts to take lawful actions.

Q: As ofyesterday, are there any Muslim or Arakanese people still in Buthidaung town?Are they fleeing from the conflict zone as done by  some Muslims and seeking refuge in the AA  controlled areas?

A: Thecurrent situation in Buthidaung town remains complex, with ongoing resistancefrom the terrorist armed groups in some areas. Clearance operations are beingconducted in these areas. Most civilians have fled to safer places. Accordingto the latest information, over 50,000 Muslims from Buthidaung and Maungdawhave sought refuge in a safe area controlled by the ULA/AA. We are also doingour best to provide them food and healthcare services.

Q: MuslimIDPs have sought refuge in areas controlled by the AA and they are facilitatedwith necessary support. However, the AA has been criticised for human rightsviolations amid the conflict. What will be your response to these allegations?

A: We wantto clarify that if there are human rights violations, we request to revealspecific details. Please provide the date, location, individuals involved, andthe actions of our forces. With precise information about the incidents, wewill conduct thorough investigations and take appropriate actions. However,baseless accusations without evidence are not acceptable. For instance, therehave been claims that the AA burned down Muslim houses. We urge you to bespecific, meaning the date, village, and whose house was affected. Suchinformation will be thoroughly examined through our administrative andpolitical channels. Making sweeping generalizations without sufficient evidenceis not acceptable.

Q: Now thatthe AA has captured Buthidaung, how do you plan to address the concern ofethnic groups in the region and challenges faced by the internally displacedpersons ?

A: You will alsonotice that in the areas controlled by the ULA/AA, there has been long standingharmony among different religious and ethnic families. This harmony has beenfostered over the time, resulting in no conflicts among different ethnicgroups. The ULA/AA does not impose restrictions or barriers on any ethnicgroup. Additionally, there is smooth interaction and movement with variousethnic groups managing their daily lives without hindrances. Even after thecapture of Buthidaung and Maungdaw, the ULA government continues its initiativeto ensure that people with different backgrounds can live with harmony.

Q: Is thereany additional information you want to add?

A: What I'dlike to emphasize is that the conflict isn't confined to Buthidaung andMaungdaw alone in Myanmar. It's a struggle between the fascist military juntaand the people of Myanmar. Consequently, the entire population of Myanmar facesthe negative impact because of ongoing airstrikes conducted by the militaryjunta across the country. The relentless conflict results in casualties beyond Buthidaung and Maungdaw. So, the focus shouldn't solely be on theconcerns of people in both the townships. The remaining 50 million peopleacross the country are also facing difficulties. They are being arrested andeven killed by the junta forces. It's crucial for the international communityto understand that people here are losing limbs due to junta’s force atrocities, and this issue deserves urgentattention. Focusing solely on one ethnic group overlooks the plight of allMyanmar citizens. Human rights violations affect everyone, regardless ofethnicity, and the failure to address it constitutes discrimination. We urgethe international human rights organizations to address these issues and ensurethe protection of every common individual.