Myanmar strongly condemns and rejects statements issued on the anniversary of August 2017 incidents of Rakhine State

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has learnt the issuance of statements by certain countries and organisations including the spokesperson of the United Nations Secretary General on the anniversary of the incident that took place in Rakhine State on 25 August 2017. The contents and facts contained in their statements not only lack authenticity and are of unverifiable sources but are also found to be one-sided and interfering in the internal affairs of Myanmar.

The incidents that started on 25 August 2017 in Rakhine State were triggered by the coordinated and simultaneous attacks of the ARSA (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) terrorist group on 30 police outposts and a Regiment Headquarters. Those terrorist attacks resulted in casualties of both security personnel and innocent civilians. In this regard, with a view to ensuring prevalence of security, peace and stability of the locality and the people, the security personnel had to take necessary measures in accordance with the existing rules and regulations.

The ARSA terrorist group had deliberately orchestrated such incidents to make the people in Rakhine State flee to the other side of the border. They also inflated the numbers of the people who fled due to the terror-threat of ARSA. The Myanmar Government is systematically carrying out verification process to repatriate those who fled the country in accord with the bilateral agreements. The Government and people of Myanmar do not recognize and accept the use of the term “Rohingya”. Such term is not included in the historical evidences and lacks legal basis. Those using the term are found to be doing so for political purposes. The Myanmar Government is granting appropriate status of citizenship to those eligible after systematic verification in accordance with 1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law, irrespective of religion and race.

The statements issued were found to be not only concealing the ARSA’s terrorist acts with regard to the incident of 25 August 2017 and ignoring to objectively observe the situation of ethnic people in Rakhine State but also disregarding constructive measures taken by the Myanmar Government. The contents contained in the statements were based on unverifiable sources merely to exert pressure on Myanmar and tantamount to the interference in the internal affairs of Myanmar. As such, Myanmar strongly condemns and rejects those statements.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nay Pyi Taw
Dated, 25 August 2022