People seek refuge at Thabyae Gone monastery in Maungdaw Township after fighting between the Burma Army and militant broke out nearby villages. (Photo: Rakhine Gazette / Facebook)
SITTWE, Arakan State — Four suspects have reportedly confessed to taking part in and planning attacks on border guard posts in northern Arakan State’s Maungdaw Township with the financial backing of outside terrorist organizations, according to a President’s Office statement released on Friday.
Two of the men were transferred from Bangladeshi authorities to Burma and two were captured in Maungdaw Township.
The statement said that the four men confessed to authorities—which were unspecified—to taking part in an attack on border posts on Sunday with the aim of occupying Maungdaw Township, led by a group they identified as Aqa Mul Mujahidin, which the President’s Office described as being affiliated with the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), last known to be active in the 1980s and 1990s.
The statement also said an investigation had revealed that the group allegedly receives financial backing from Islamic terror networks and is led by a 45-year-old living in Kyauk Pyin Seik village of Maungdaw Township who attended six months of training in Pakistan.
“We will effectively counterattack any terror attack or attempted terror attack,” the President’s Office statement said. “We will also investigate, identify and take harsh actions against those behind the terrorists, those who support them secretly, and organizations and individuals that aid and abet terrorism.”
The group was allegedly planning to attack six border posts with 400 armed men last Sunday, but, armed with machetes, instead attacked a border patrol police headquarters and two outposts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships, killing nine policemen and looting firearms.
According to state-run media, the Tatmadaw arrested another man in Maungdaw Township’s Warpaik Village on Wednesday and reportedly confiscated a MA-11 gun, 11 cartridges, 1,510 rounds of ammunition and flags and badges connected to the RSO.
The man is the fifth suspect to have been detained in the area since Sunday.
Military-controlled Myawaddy media said on Thursday that while Burma Army troops carried out a manhunt for the suspects Wednesday in Kyet Yoe Pin Village of Maungdaw Township, ten suspected militants were killed and one gun was seized in clashes.
Five Burma Army soldiers have been killed in the manhunt, and 15 men—suspected militants—have been killed by government forces.
Military Operation Areas
Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships in northern Arakan State are designated as military operation areas until firearms looted from border police force are recovered, ministers told reporters at a press conference in the state capital of Sittwe on Friday.
On Thursday, Arakan State Chief Minister Nyi Pu summoned NGOs and INGOs to the state government office to update them on the situation in Maungdaw Township. He told relief organizations that to work in areas of military operations they must apply for permission from the government and follow rules and regulations, according to his official Facebook page.
Nyi Pu said that “Although the neighboring town of Buthidaung has returned to normal and shops have opened, the market is closed in Maungdaw. Unless the government can recover the firearms, armed clashes could happen at any time.”
He mentioned that some attackers are from “outside,” referring to Bangladesh, and alleged that they had links to Maungdaw Muslim residents.
Brig-Gen Thura Sun Lwin of the border police told international relief organizations, including United Nations (UN) organizations and partners, that foreigners are currently prohibited from entering Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships.
Displaced Persons and Reports of Abuse
A joint statement released on Monday by 14 Rohingya organizations in exile accused government soldiers of killing seven unarmed men in the village of Myothugyi; the Burma Army described the casualties of being those of suspected militants.
The groups called on international organizations and governments to pressure the ruling National League for Democracy government to halt such actions, and end persecution against Muslims in the region.
Since then, further accusations of abuses—detainments, and the burning of houses—have surfaced.
Arakan State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu sought to quell rumors of abuse with a statement on Facebook saying that news from the government should be regarded as true.
“The Union government is trying to decrease the worries of the two communities and we [the state government] are also carrying out on-the-ground information for law enforcement and stability in this region,” his post said.
In Maungdaw Township, local sources say that ethnic Mro and Thet villagers—fearing the unrest—have been seeking safety in monasteries in Buthidaung.
Arakan National Party (ANP) secretary U Tha Htun Hla visited Maungdaw yesterday to support the displaced villagers. According to him, about 300 people were sheltering at Buddhist monasteries.
The Arakan State government office secretary U Tin Maung Swe said that local Arakanese from the area concerned for their safety would need to be relocated. The Burma Army has also airlifted 90 school teachers from areas of Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships, according to the state government.
Meanwhile on Friday, residents of two villages in rural areas of Maungdaw Township were taking refuge in Sittwe, saying they were too frightened to remain at their homes following Sunday’s attacks.
A total of 36 people from the villages were staying at a Buddhist monastery in the state capital.
Four women from the group met a delegation from the World Food Programme (WFP) headed by Stephen O’Brien, United Nations’ Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
“My child and I are safe here, but my husband is at home and we don’t yet know how safe he is,” villager Daw Thein Shwe told the UN delegation, through tears. Rumors and the deaths of policemen in Sunday’s attacks had triggered the decision to leave Myaing Tha Ya and Aung Mingalar villages, she said.
A total of 60 more people from the area were expected to arrive in Sittwe later on Friday, the delegation heard. A WFP representative told the villagers that it would work with the state government to provide assistance.
Meanwhile, U Hla Shwe, a community leader from the Rohingya Muslim community in Sittwe worried that the violence would spread. “We condemn those acting with violence,” he said, adding that his community loved peace, and wished to live in peace.
Ko Wai Hun Aung, an Arakanese social activist, said that using force may not be the best way to find suspects and that authorities should instead work with local religious leaders.
If I may have to advise, issuing statements only for the TV anchors to read is too formal for a situation so serious that it can be spelled out as foreign intruders attacking the sovereignty of the country. Someone like the President or State Counselor should step up to the plate making a live press conference on TV to inform the country. The crisis is dire day after day.
It took 7 days by the president to condemn the terror attacks. NLD leaders seemed to believe Rohingysa than Arakanese. It reveals that how mush NLD was behind the so-called Rohigyas accusing majority Buddhist Arakanese are discriminating against minority Muslims and “I would be back you”. Such comforting words for Muslims killed many Arakanese aftermath. NLD did not respect the history and they wanted to be Rohingyas sympathizers. Now, they learned how serious was their mistake. If they still continue to support Rohinygas they are the who wrote the story destroying beautiful Burma. Military government is bad however, still able to maintain Burma as Buddhist country.
Innocent Arakanese has had been suffering grisly attacks by those who has different faith since English ruling and are made to live with them with episodic terror and deadly attacks by RSO. In the end the when these people are able to make all make-up stories which are believed by senseless UN and international bodies , the offensives are prioritized and given favor in all sense.
Therefore, it is no wonder Arakanese do not trust NLD and NLD created Dr. Kofi Annan lead commission. To rule a country, it is necessary to know the history in detail and if not to listen the ancestors. It is necessary to have experience of working at ground level. Airing and international awards are not enough. Political dialogue with opposition party is necessary. If you behave as authoritarian you are unknowingly killing the innocent people of the country whose life depends your words , perception and actions. A lot of Arakanese had been killed in 2011 without due recognition but favoring the offensive instead. Future of Burma is dim by the rulers do not change their ego , mindset and strategy.
Please never ever believe any Muslims who condemn and somebody so-called Rohigya residing in Aungmingala of Sittwe. When all Muslims are supposed to be in camps why some are still left in Aungmingala quarters. It is necessary to be careful those who would join with RSO or foreign Islam based organization to make terror attacks in Sittwe. These people need to be watched out constantly and carefully not only in Sittwe but all over Burma. They are a lot of net work to help each other by the name of brotherhood and jihad.
Their intent is to occupy Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Yethedaung We strongly suggest current government to handle this firmly, delicately , carefully and vigorously.
It is necessary to write a plan first and must be implemented with correct strategy. DR Aye Maung once had submitted his plan but seemed to be rejected and ignored. Opinion of local people especially those from Northern Rakhine should be respected as they know the mindset and behavior of so-called Rohingyas. Southern Rakhine do not know anything about them. Unfortunately NLD appointed them as ethnic Minister. Therefore, all these atrocities come out expectedly.
Everybody makes mistakes and it has time to amend the mistakes , learn from the experience and move towards to correct way diligently.
‘Using force may not be the best way to find suspects and that authorities should instead work with local religious leaders’ … which religious leaders? Are religious leaders involved in the violence, directly or indirectly? They only can raise awareness to some extant but that will never guarantee the total stoppage of violence. Islamist terrorists are fueled by their religious teachings, at least, they believe so. Bombing in the Thai south can best be put as examples. Luckily the Rakhine and the Muslims of Maungdaw in general want peace to prevail. But the infiltrating Pakistani and Bangladeshi jihadis are a big problem. Even the Bangladesh border guards many a times raised concern about fleeing of militants into Rakhine. The Burmese side did not properly take the matter seriously. But now there are no options left than resort to a long-term terror suppression and peace-building initiative. It takes time, patience and trust-building. Which side has any of this?