October 3, 2017
The National
Security Advisor has urged international communities not to use the terms
“ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” lightly regarding the issue in northern
Rakhine State.
U Thaung Tun,
National Security Advisor of Myanmar, made the remark at the United Nations
Security Council in New York recently, after the terms were used in statements
made by the UN Secretary-General and the representatives of the member states
of the council.
“There is no
ethnic cleansing and genocide in Myanmar. Ethnic cleansing and genocide are
serious charges and they should not be used lightly. It would be a sad
commentary of our times if we allowed emotions to cloud our view and assert
that what is happening in Rakhine is ethnic cleansing without first undertaking
a legal review and making a judicial determination,” said the National Security
Advisor.
The current
situation was precipitated by the attacks of Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army
(ARSA) terrorists on 30 police outposts in the early hours of 25 August that
resulted in the deaths of 12 security officers, one immigration officer, one
soldier and a number of innocent civilians. Security forces were obliged to
defend themselves, government officials said.
“We feel deeply
for the suffering and plight of all affected communities – Rakhine, Muslim,
Daingnet, Mro, Thet, Maramagyi and Hindu. They are all victims of violence and
terrorism”, U Thaing Tun said.
Myanmar is one
of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. It is home to 135
officially recognised ethnic groups, each with its own distinctive culture and
adherence to a variety of religions, including Buddhism, Islam, Christianity
and Hinduism.Religious groups have been living in harmony throughout the
country’s history. “The situation that we face today is due to terrorism and is
not based on religion,” said U Thaung Tun.
“It should be
noted that Muslims are not a minority in northern Rakhine. They constitute 95
per cent of the total population. What is little known is that the vast majority
of Muslims did not abandon their hearth and home. While there has been an
exodus, more than 50 per cent of the Muslim villages in northern Rakhine remain
intact,” said the National Security Advisor.
GNLM
Ref; The Global
New Light of Myanmar
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