Giving Rohingya military training and arming them : Myanmar

In the past few days, two video files have emerged continuously on Facebook, showing Rohingya wearing full military uniforms and being taught shooting training by the Military Council Army, and about thirty Rohingyas in military uniforms and each carrying a gun in a military vehicle.

Similarly, on March 7th, a video emerged of the Military Council's Rakhine State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Kyawthura himself visiting a warehouse-like building where hundreds of Rohingyas were sitting in military uniforms.

"When the war is lost, these people are threatened and mobilized in various ways to fight for them and use them again."

When RFA contacted some Rakhine residents about these videos, they could not confirm the exact location, but they said that they were videos of the Military Council Army giving military training to the Rohingya in northern Rakhine State.

Rakhine wars, gourd mountain About seven hundred Rohingya from Maungdaw and Kyaukphyu townships were arrested and given military training by the Military Council since last February, when they said they would form a militia. Residents told RFA that they had been recruiting people.

In Kyauk Phyu town, where Rohingya are given military training, it has now reached the stage of shooting practice, a resident who did not want to be named told RFA.

"It is known that the current situation is at the stage of shooting. I heard gunshots for two days. It's been three days. The training is different from day to day. Some of them were given to No. (34) Police Battalion and some were given to Khlara (542).

The Rohingyas who are being given military training by the Military Council in Kyaukphyu Township are Rohingyas from the Kyauketsen refugee camp. 107 Rohingya between the ages of 18 and 35 from that camp were forcibly abducted by military council troops on February 29.

Residents said that around forty family members of those who fled into the area controlled by the Rakhine Army (AA) because they had to undergo two weeks of military training and did not want to attend the training, were also arrested at the Kyaukphyu police station.

Although the Military Council does not recognize the Rohingya as citizens, CDM Captain Nyi Thuta told RFA that after the coup, they were mobilized in various ways and given military training to fight to the death for them.

"When the war is lost, these people are threatened and mobilized in various ways to fight to the death for them. They don't act after looking at the love of the country and the interests of the country. Another thing is that they value the Rohingyas in terms of human rights, because they value justice. If the army is beneficial to them, it has gone to the point of reusing those who once bitterly refused."

Regarding the issue of providing military training to the Rohingya, the Myanmar Light newspaper, which is controlled by the Military Council on February 28, denied that the reports were incorrect because they are not citizens.

However, RFA contacted State Attorney General U Hla Thein, who is authorized to speak in the Rakhine state of the military council, to inquire about the issue of the television videos, but he did not answer the phone.

Ko Ne San Lwin, a Rohingya activist, said that forcing the Rohingya to serve in the military is a war crime.

“They have the power in their hands. Can be pressured. Can be arrested. I just keep doing it the way I want to do it. The military council continues to commit the crimes they are committing. They are doing this with the intention of destroying the Rohingya community, so I see this as part of the genocide."

The Rakhine Army (AA) also announced on March 2 that the Military Council Army is trying to forcibly arrest Muslims in Rakhine State by using all means.