“In order to resolve the conflict peacefully, the authorities ordered people to hand over guns, bayonets, swords, daggers, spikes and all kinds of weapons to the nearest police station as quickly as possible between Oct. 31 and Nov. 3. Otherwise, the Arakan State Police will take legal action against transgressors under section 4 (d) of the Arms Act (1878), which prohibits the possession of guns, bayonets, swords, daggers, spears, bows and arrows, arms and anything else that can be used as a weapon.”

Myanma Ahlin reported that some groups “had used swords and firearms during the recent deadly confrontations between the Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya communities.”

Today, the central government reported that 180 homemade firearms had been seized, and the makers of the weapons and their parts detained.

The government claims to have evidence that certain individuals and organizations – political parties, ceasefire groups- who had instigated the violence had planned to attack villages and even sent threatening letters for the villagers to abandon their homes. The letters contained detail information that suggested they would will torch the homes and kill people.

Naypyidaw has formed several investigation committees to formally look into the ongoing conflict in Arakan State since violence started in June, but no official report has been published as of yet.

According to a recent article on the VOA news website, Maung Maung who is Kaman – a Muslim group who have lived in the region for generations - said political leaders are behind the riot and masterminded the recent attacks on Muslim communities.

The U.N. refugee agency has called on authorities to restore law and order to prevent further bloodshed and displacement. According to the UN, there are still an estimated 6,000 people stranded on boats or in islets along Burma’s western coast.

U.N. human rights special rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana, independent expert on minority issues Rita Izsak and special rapporteur on human rights of internally displaced persons Chaloka Beyani voiced “their deep concern over continuing inter-communal violence in Arakan state” and have called on the government to end violence and protect the vulnerable communities.

Rita Izsak, U.N. independent expert on minority issues, said the Rohingya constituted a minority that must be protected according to international minority rights standards.

“The government must take steps to review relevant laws and procedures to provide equal access by the Rohingya community to citizenship and promote dialogue and reconciliation between communities.”

According to a U.N. statement, three U.N. human rights experts recently called on the government “to urgently address the underlying causes of the tension and conflict between the Buddhists and Muslim communities in the region.”