The Arakan League for Democracy
(ALD) has warned U.N. agencies, diplomatic missions and news outlets
that their reports would be responsible for fuelling more violence in
Rakhine State.
The ALD held a press conference in
Yangon on Wednesday to rebuke international condemnation over the
reported killing of over 40 Muslim villagers in a series of revenge
attacks in Du Char Yar Tan village, northern Rakhine State, between
January 8 and 14.
"Forty deaths are highly sensitive to
us. Rakhine people fear that their native home will be occupied. As
external organisations are fuelling the situation, further conflicts
will be happening," said Oo Oo Hla Myint, executive of the ALD.
Oo Oo Hla Myint went on to explain that the fabricated news caused the Muslim villagers to prepare for hostilities.
The Associated Press first reported the
killings which began on January 9 when armed gangs attacked Muslim
villagers in retaliation for the abduction and killing of a police
officer.
A subsequent U.N. investigation
confirmed initial reports that 48 Muslim villagers had been killed in
the latest bout of sectarian violence between security forces, Rakhine
groups and Muslim Rohingya, who are locally called Bengali.
The area is currently out-of-bounds to
local and international journalists and security forces have imposed
restrictions that make it harder to verify reports.
"As Maungdaw has less ethnic Rakhine
people than Bengalis, the former is now moving to safer places. That
further violence might occur has already been warned. If so, those who
release the false news will be responsible for that," said the ALD in a
statement.
In the press conference they also
criticised international agencies for neglecting to mention the death of
Police Sgt Aung Kyaw Thein, who was killed by Rohingya villagers in an
incident that is supposed to have sparked retaliation attacks.
"These fabricated news cause unnecessary
doubts between the two groups in Rakhine State to rise and can lead to
further conflict," continued Oo Oo Hla Myint.
"Such false news ensures to help those wishing to encroach the sovereignty of the country under the pretext of human rights."
Rakhine State has been off-limits to foreign journalists and access for humanitarian aid workers is severely restricted.
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Eleven Myanmar
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