We are concerned about the recent report relayed by CNN under the title of “Tape on Terror” alleging that al-Qaeda had been operating in western Burma, implicating the freedom fighters of the Muslim Rohingya Arakanese to have link with terrorist organization.
Since September 11 terrorist attacks in United States, the Burmese military junta has stepped up its campaign of terror against the Rohingyas while trying to link its “state terrorism” to U.S. led “war on terrorism”. While practicing the policy of “de-Muslimization” and “Rohingya extermination”, the junta is employing all possible ways and means to gain the support of the United States by trying to link the Rohingya freedom fighters with al-Qaeda and Taliban. The SPDC is trying to hoodwink the international community, saying, “we are already sharing information with the United Sates on Islamic armed terrorists operating along Myanmar’s western border and within the region, with connections to Taliban and al-Qaeda, now being held and questioned in Yangoon.” This is a sinister design of the junta to annihilate the Muslim communities of the country, particularly that of the Rohingyas in Arakan.
We reiterate that the Rohingyas, who have long been subjected to brutality and criminal atrocities, are not terrorists but freedom fighters against tyranny and ruthless persecution of the military regime. The freedom movement of the Rohingyas is not a recent emergence but is more than five decades old.
We again state that Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) has no link or relationship with al-Qaeda or Taliban. It has nothing to do with the recent relay of CNN alleging link with al-Qaeda on the western side of Burma. Neither our freedom fighters received any training nor any kind of assistance from al-Qaeda or Taliban.
ARNO is an organisation advocating democracy, peace, justice, equality and human rights in Burma. It has been working hand in glove with National United Party of Arakan (NUPA), which represents the Buddhists of Arakan, under the umbrella of Arakan Independence Alliance (AIA).
Since the agreement of political alliance signed between NUPA and ARNO on 16th September 2000, the Burmese military junta has been up and doing to damage the image of the joint freedom struggle of the Muslims and Buddhist communities in Arakan. In its effort the SPDC with the vested interests is trying to exploit the grave situation, in the wake of September 11 terrorist attacks in United Sates, and is tarring the Muslim freedom fighters with the same brush, with an expectation to get US support and to accelerate its Rohingya extermination and ethnic-cleansing. It is also to hallucinate peace process and undermine the democracy movement in the country in order to perpetuate its autocratic rule in Burma.
Central Executive Committee
Arakan Rohingya National Organisation
Arakan.
Arakan Rohingya National Organisation
Arakan.
Dated: 25 August 2002