The United League of Arakan (ULA) has accused the Junta of undermining the stability, unity, and development of the Arakan Region (Rakhine State) by attempting to force the Muslim community living there to serve in the military.
ULA declared that, “The terrorist Military Council, in response to military and political setbacks, has historically instigated ethnic and religious conflicts between the Rakhine and Muslim communities in Rakhine State, and they are currently utilizing this same divisive tactic, which poses a significant threat to the peaceful coexistence of these communities.”
ULA has attempted various strategies to foster harmony and peaceful coexistence among different communities in Rakhine State since the establishment of administrative mechanisms, and these efforts have yielded favorable outcomes, the statement said.
Furthermore, ULA has bolstered unity among Rakhine State's diverse communities through initiatives such as organizing sports events and festivals involving various ethnicities and religions, diversifying local administration and judicial sectors, and ensuring equal healthcare and assistance during the pandemic and Cyclone Mocha's devastation.
Regional and international observers and organizations have acknowledged these transformations and provided favorable assessments.
ULA's leadership, characterized by honesty and courage, has earned these positive responses, and it remains dedicated to advancing a more unified and harmonious social environment in Rakhine State, despite the Junta's despicable efforts to thwart ULA’s constructive endeavors.
ULA has accused the Junta of enforcing conscription laws as a deceitful method to enlist Muslims from Rakhine State, a move that not only coerces civilians into peril but also threatens the future stability, unity, and development of the entire region.
ULA also welcomed the efforts of the international community, including the United Nations (UN), to hold the Myanmar Military Junta accountable for the massacres and violent crimes committed against the Rohingya people in the northern townships of Rakhine State in 2017.
ULA warns that if the Junta's efforts to force the Muslim community into the military draft proceeds, the instability in Rakhine State will worsen, leading to prolonged and heavy sufferings between Muslims and local communities, and hopes of repatriation for Rohingya refugees will become even more distant.
ULA also pointed out that the Junta is attempting to disrupt and undermine the strategic interests of regional partners.
ULA emphasized that the international community, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU), must urgently focus on the Junta's forced conscription plans and take proactive measures to prevent them.
ULA also stated that certain individuals and organizations within the Muslim community are leveraging the Junta's conscription laws to pursue political and economic gains, as well as to propagate ethnic hatred and extremist ideologies by amassing arms and personnel to intimidate and assault civilians.
ULA warned that such actions would be perceived as hostile and confrontational towards the Arakan Army (AA), the armed wing of ULA, and could potentially result in a broader and undesirable escalation of bloodshed.
ULA also urged that if the Muslim friends living in Rakhine State aspire to build a peaceful, progressive, united, and just future country, it is essential to bitterly oppose the Military Council's efforts to enforce conscription, a move that is vehemently condemned by the entire populace and the international community.
In conclusion, ULA pledged to pursue equal citizenship and human rights for all ethnicities and religions residing in Rakhine State, while also urging Muslim friends to make the right choices at this critical juncture for the future, which will be instrumental in shaping a new history.
