Kpn English Arg Statement

Statement on Fabricated News Circulated by Kaladan Press Network Based in Bangladesh Date: April 13, 2009 Letter Number: 002/09

Arakan Rakkhitta Group (ARG) received one bizarre news on April 4, 2009. In that news circulated by Kaladan Press Network (KPN), it reported that one Bengali girl was “killed and hacked into three pieces” by Buddhist monks in Sittwe and the body was kept for three days inside the monastery. Due to its sensitiveness and bizarre context of the news, ARG has conducted an investigation in collaboration with inside sources in Sittwe. No Arakanese in Sittwe is aware of the news and they responded that the news is totally fake. ARG is amazed by the act of KPN. It is obvious that it is not just a mere mistake of KPN and there is a motive and implication behind this fabricated story due to the following reasons. 1. The village named “Phayarr Gyi Ywar Gyima Taung” does not exist in Sittwe. Moreover, it is noted that the English usage is also wrong. In Sittwe, when people speak in Arakanese about the neighborhood they live in, they use ‘village’. However, when they write in English, they use ‘quarter’. For example, people speak of “Rupa Village” but when they write in English, they use “Rupa Quarter”. It is obvious that the writer of KPN has no local knowledge about the capital city of Arakan and it is a strong possibility that he has never lived there. 2. On another note, Sittwe is not as populous as Chittagong. The deceased body can easily be buried or thrown into the sea. However, Kaladan Press Network made its story more interesting to convince the readers by dragging Burma’s reverend monks into the murder scene with three separate pieces of the girl. It just sounds too cliché’ and it is obvious that the story is fake. 3. Then, the writer continues to blame Rakhine for no reason saying that the witness of the murder did not tell any one “for fear of reprisal from the monks and the Rakhine community”. There are a high percentage of Bengali immigrants in Sittwe and there are ample instances on how aggressively they responded to a small case; let alone this sensitive case. In other words, if this case is real, a riot or a few clashes would have been seen on the streets of Sittwe. 4. Moreover, the story is only based on one “local trader”. It is an obligation not a choice for a journalist to write fair and balanced story comprising different aspects to it. But the story again lack of that property. KPN did not mention any effort it undertakes to gather more information but it just distributed the news believing blindly on one trader. KPN should be aware of that this kind of irresponsible act can bring a great deal of damages into Burma not just in terms of materials but also in terms of lives. 5. Finally, KPN accused the Buddhist monks for committing murder. Buddhism does not preach its monks to kill even animal; let alone human. For the monks, the Buddhist rules strongly restrained them from committing such crime. Therefore, it is obvious that the story is a completely fabricated one and ARG believe that KPN has created the story with motives. Motive 1. To try to cover the widespread crimes committed by so-called Rohingya Since some of the so-called Rohingya are committing murder and rapes every month, the fabricated story of KPN was intended to switch the attention from these crimes.

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Motive 2. To instill fear and pain on Rakhine in Buthedaung, Maung Daw so that they will not live in these territories. The more Rakhine leave these regions, the better it is for them to control the vacant land and resources. Also, it is very likely that they believe even if Rakhine resist and fight back, they will also gain publicity and other benefits from these riots. Moreover, it has always been the purposes of the extremists to request fund from the rich Islamic nations and to obtain the support of Al-Qaeda using the fact that religion of Islam is being repressed in Burma. They do not seem to take the consequences of their action such as the severe impact on the innocent children and women into consideration. It seems that these people who are trying to stimulate riots do not have family inside Burma. Therefore, it is very important to denounce these religious fanatics, along with all ethnic groups of Burma, by the Bengali who admire peace. There is a stark difference between ethnic rights and citizenship rights. And, human rights do not grant the rights to people to strategically assault the other religion and to harm other cultures. For those who happen to believe in the propaganda of these Bengali extremists, these two facts should be understood clearly. Therefore, ARG would like to caution KPN and other news agency, that are creating fabricated news, not to support the riot causing agenda of the so-called Rohingya fanatics. It should be understood by the so-called Rohingya and their news agency that this statement does not wish to cause the racial riot and ARG only wish to deter the possible racial riots in Burma. If riots resulted in Burma, the so-called Rohingya religious extremists will have to bear the responsibility. Khaing Thoo Chief in Charge (Temporary) Arakan Rakkitta Group (ARG)

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Recent Atrocities Committed by some so-called Rohingya Terrorists in Buthedaung and Maung Daw -

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An attempt to rape six Rakhine women by some Bengalis in Maung Daw in March 11, 2007. Gang attack on U Maung Mra who was selling dry fish products in NarZi quarter, Sittwe by ten socalled Rohingya in November 4, 2008. Another gang attack on two witnesses of U Maung Mra, on their way to the local police station to report the previous attack, by E. Sat and Ali and about 100 of their Bengalis apprentices. (E. Sat and Ali are known for their mutual business ties with local powerful authority. Though their lives were spared after the arrivals of local authority, an arrest was made to U Maung Mra and his two witnesses after a large sum of money was given to the local authorities by these so-called Rohingya criminals.) Rape and cruel murder of Daw Aung Thar May (45 years old) in Vesali village, Maung Daw in November 24, 2008. (Daw Aung Thar May’s deceased body was found with eyes popping out of her face and tooth broken.) Murder of U Aung Htwe (65 years old) by so-called Rohingya Bengalis while herding a group of cows in 4-mile KannTharYar village, Maung Daw, in December, 2008. Killing of U Maung Maung Than’s oldest daughter (23 years old) who is a mother of two children and his youngest daughter (19 years old) by the so-called Rohingya Bengalis on March 1, 2009. (The two girls were residents of Na-Ta-La ThaRaPhe Model Village, Buthedaung Township and were killed by mutilating their female organs and burning their breasts.) Should you have questions on these incidents, please contact the following members of Arakan Rakkhitta Group (ARG) in your preference of languages.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Maung Hla Shwe (in Japanese) – 81 (0) 9078 – 2791 – 24 (Japan) Nyi Nyi San (in Japanese) – 81 (0) 9041 – 7311 – 40 (Japan) Khaing Aung (in English) – 1 – 617 – 435 – 4153 (U.S.A) Win Myint Htun (in English) – 81 (0) 8035 – 8452 – 58 (Japan) Paw Htun Aung (in Burmese) – 81 (0) 8056 – 5519 –47 (Japan) Kyaw Than Hlaing (in Burmese) – 81 (0) 9042 – 9634 – 90 (Japan) Kyaw Lin Aung (in Burmese) – 81 (0) 9091 –4378 – 51 (Japan) Than Myint Aung (in Burmese) – 81 (0) 9065 – 3028 – 55 (Japan) Than Win (in Burmese) – 81 (0) 8035 – 0093 – 75 (Japan)

Copy Sent to – - News Agencies Interested in Burmese Affairs - NGOs and Human Rights Organization Working for Burma - Burmese Political Parties/Organizations

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