Arakan Bay News/Analysis Article
By: Mamagha
On August 16, The Irrawaddy Myanmar edition published an article titled “Time to Pursue Long-Term Goals on the Rohingya Issue,” highlighting that foreign Muslim activists are engaged in schemes that could pose a threat to the entire country.
The article mentions that these Muslim activists have requested the U.S. government to suspend non-lethal assistance to Myanmar on the grounds that the country is not prioritizing the Muslim cause.
The U.S. government enacted the Burma Act of 2022 under congressional approval. The law, mainly tied to the *National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), aims to provide non-lethal aid to support the unity, reconciliation, and construction of a federal democracy for all ethnic groups in Myanmar.
The author, James Shwe, a former student of Yangon Technological University and a Myanmar political analyst residing in the U.S., wrote the article.
According to the article, the Muslim cause seems to be causing more chaos amid the ongoing conflicts, exposing hidden agendas that could disrupt the country’s anti-dictatorship revolution and even affect the Spring Revolution.
So, who are the players involved in the Muslim cause? What is this group doing? Everyone should be aware of it.
It is closely related to the conflicts in Buthidaung and Maungdaw. In these areas, AA (Arakan Army) is being accused of forcibly relocating Muslims, committing mass killings, and violating human rights. Recently, reports from Western media outlets emerged of mass deaths of Muslims during the Maungdaw conflict.
During intense day-and-night fighting in Maungdaw in the first week of August, AA allegedly used drones to attack Muslims fleeing towards Bangladesh, leading to the deaths of nearly 100 people, including women and children, according to reports from foreign Muslim activists. This incident attracted widespread international criticism, although AA denied involvement, claiming that the incident was a deliberate misinformation campaign by foreign Muslim groups.
What is AA’s target in the Maungdaw conflict?
The question now arises whether AA is truly targeting refugees fleeing the conflict. AA’s primary enemy is the junta forces. AA has no reason to target local Muslim civilians, as this has been understood by the Muslim community that interacts with AA.
In the Maungdaw conflict, AA’s targets are the junta’s forces. Among them are Muslim militias recruited by the junta, as well as Pyu Saw Htee and allied extremist groups like ARSA, RSO, and ARA. (For clarity, these Muslim groups are commonly referred to as Pyu Saw Htee.)
In reality, the junta is continuously committing inhumane mass killings across the country using airstrikes- jet fighters, and drones. The junta doesn’t differentiate when committing atrocities against Muslims as it does against other ethnic groups across the nation. The genocide committed in the past is evidence of that.
AA has long been committed to fostering peaceful coexistence and harmony between Rakhine and Muslims. AA has evacuated over 30,000 civilians trapped in Buthidaung and Maungdaw as human shields and provided them with essential aid. In towns like Kyauktaw, Mrauk U, and Minbya under AA control, efforts have been made to prioritize harmony between Muslims and Rakhine communities.
What Are These Manipulative Actors Doing?
When looking deeper into the situation, it becomes clear that foreign Muslim groups, human rights activists, and international organizations are exploiting the Muslims in the Arakan region for their personal gain. Additionally, the Muslim Pyu Saw Htee groups, who align with the junta and have common interests, also participate in this scheme. None of these human rights groups or Muslim activists have ever condemned the Pyu Saw Htee Muslims for collaborating with the junta or for committing acts of violence against local Rakhine and Muslims.
Therefore, it’s questionable whether these human rights groups genuinely care about liberating the country from the oppressive junta. Their behavior appears more like supporting violent ideologies and opportunism rather than genuine humanitarian concern.
Muslim leaders with influence under the junta’s umbrella are misleading young Muslims with promises of citizenship. While the UN and international organizations are aware of the junta’s violations, they remain silent instead of applying effective pressure on the regime. It’s only when Muslims die in conflict that human rights groups raise concerns.
In the nature of conflict, temporarily relocating civilians for their safety is a common practice by resistance groups across the country. The junta’s actions are much worse, with entire villages being set on fire. It’s not just one Muslim group that’s suffering the effects of war. Ethnic groups like the Kachin, Karenni, Karen, Shan, Burman, Mon, Rakhine, Chin, Dawei, Kokang, and Palaung are also affected.
Telling civilians to temporarily evacuate for their safety is often manipulated by Muslim activists to portray a narrative of human rights violations. This tactic has been seen in the conflicts in Rathedaung, Buthidaung, and Maungdaw. As soon as Muslim fighters die on the battlefield, Muslim rights activists paint AA as the villain. Therefore, if there are fighters from the junta’s forces on the battlefield, AA will inevitably eliminate them, regardless of ethnicity or religion.
Additionally, the ARSA, RSO, and ARA groups, who are active collaborators with the junta, continue to recruit young people from refugee camps in Bangladesh to join the junta’s forces. It is noticeable that no international organization, human rights group, or foreign Muslim activist has pressured these groups to refrain from joining the junta or condemned their involvement.
To put it simply, the Muslim cause and the spread of hatred have become lucrative enterprises for human rights activists and international organizations, allowing them to benefit financially.
That’s why General Tun Myat Naing once called them “Friends of the Fat Cats.” He also remarked, “Instead of seeking the truth, they dance to the tune of their donors. Let them be at their deserved political future.”
Are They Really Considering the Future of Muslims?
Moreover, neither Muslim activists, UN bodies, NGOs, nor human rights organizations have spoken out against the junta’s war crimes or the mass killings in villages like Letkhotaw in Monywa Township, Pazigyi in Kanbalu Township, and Layyekone in Depayin Township in the Sagaing region, or Thadar Muslim Village in Minbya Township in Rakhine.
Given this situation, Muslim rights groups need to discern who their allies and enemies are in the struggle against the military dictatorship. It’s not just about opposing AA’s actions but also considering the future of the Muslim community that will have to coexist with others in Arakan.
Instead of fostering hatred between communities through fear-mongering and divisive rhetoric, these activists should focus on genuine efforts to help build a harmonious society. Otherwise, the junta in Naypyidaw will continue clapping their hands in approval. This revolution is a struggle between justice and injustice. The real enemy is clear.
AA’s revolutionary path is also clear. “It’s fine if you’re not with us, but it’s better if you are.” “We need fewer enemies and more allies.” “If you stand with us, you’re our friend. If not, stay on your own.” “Choose between justice and injustice.” These are the theories that AA is advocating.
Taking all this into account, it can be said that those claiming to fight for the Muslim cause are now aligning with the junta and ARSA groups, creating threats to the national liberation movement.
What’s even more concerning is that they are trying to undermine the support for the nationwide resistance against the junta. Therefore, their actions should be closely monitored and countered when necessary.