- Web Master
- October 26, 2024
The United League of Arakan
/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) asserts that its members always monitor various actions
by the military council while using the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA)
terror group in Buthidaung and Maungdaw areas of Rakhine State.
"As far as we are concerned, I would like to
inform that we always keep a watchful eye on the situation of Buthidaung and
Maungdaw areas and all kinds of activities by the junta forces and ARSA
rebels," said U Khaing Thukha, the spokesman of ULA/AA.
The ARSA rebels used to infiltrate different refugee
camps in Bangladesh, but the government in Dhaka has started arresting
them. Finding difficulties to stay inside Bangladesh, many ARSA rebels have
lately infiltrated into Buthidaung and Maungdaw areas, revealed by political
observers and local residents.
More interestingly, ARSA rebels also lived in absent
junta camps after being occupied by the AA members during the resurgent
battles. The ARSA is extorting money from local Muslims after threatening and even abducting Muslim businessmen. On some
occasions they have even challenged AA members.
Various political analysts argue that the junta
authorities are using the ARSA rebels for political gains.
A Maungdaw resident, who
is close to the military personnel, alleged that the junta helped the ARSA with
weapons and even allowed them to travel in Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships.
"We could see a number of strangers in both the
localities. They give money to the soldiers at the Kyin Chaung village
checkpoint. We have seen that the Burma army personnel are using those Muslims
for the political mileage of the junta,” he added.
The military council is able to use the ARSA to create communal conflict
under its ‘divide and rule’ policy.
The locals are afraid of erupting conflicts between Rakhine and Muslim
communities living in the region with the religious polarization.
Veteran Arakanese politician U Pe Than stated that both Rakhine and
Muslim communities should be careful so that they are not being exploited by
the military council.
"We the Rakhine and Muslim people must be careful. As Muslims, we
should live in the spirit of being together in our Arakan land with equal
rights. Muslims should avoid participating in the activities of ARSA. Muslims
and Rakhine people should live with the spirit of patriotism and love for each
other. Let's not being used by the military council. We need to be
watchful," he added.
Narinjara News contacted the Rakhine State security and border affairs
minister colonel Kyaw Thura, but he did not respond.
In 2016 and 2017,
the ARSA rebels attacked many border police stations and military bases in Maungdaw township that caused heavy casualties to the
Burmese forces. Soon the army launched a massive clearance operation on the terrorists in the affected areas. Over 700,000 Muslims from
Maungdaw and Buthidaung localities had to flee to Bangladesh.
As the military council fails to fight against AA in
Rakhine battlefields and it seemingly tries to nurture a friendship with the
ARSA terrorists. These rebels do not enjoy comfortable relationship with the AA
and hence the military authorities want to exploit the situation in their
favour.