Rohingya Association Cautions Against Falling For Myanmar's "Baseless Allegation"

By Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa BANGKOK, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- The Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand has cautioned the international community not to fall for the "baseless accusation" hurled by the Myanmar Government in linking the persecuted Rohingya community with militant organisations. Its president, Maung Kyaw Nu rubbished Yangon's allegation of a link between the Rohingya and militancy as a complete fabrication, solely aimed at garnering regional and international sympathy. "This (allegation by the Myanmar Government) is completely made up by the government, a statement that was fabricated to divert attention and provide its forces with false justification for violence against the Rohingyas (atrocities in Rakhine State)," he told Bernama here recently. The activist who now lives in exile in Thailand, claimed the allegation by Yangon was an "old song" recycled by the country's military in the 1990s, and now by the current civilian administration led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The Myanmar Government, through its spokesman, has alleged that a Rohingya-based militant organisation with overseas links had carried out attacks on its Border Guard post on Oct 9, killing a number of security personnel. The government which is led by Suu Kyi's political party after a landslide victory in a historic general election this year, has also come under stinging criticism by the United Nations (UN) and human rights groups. --BERNAMA