“ARSA has already declared that our sole objective is to protect the innocent Rohingya people. Ataullah also warned groups masquerading as ARSA to refrain from doing so, as the insurgent organization would otherwise publicly name the leaders and members of such groups. Furthermore, in an earlier statement published on social media, ARSA said the Myanmar government was not interested in the genuine repatriation of Rohingya refugees, and was instead using “dirty politics” with the international community. According to the Bangladesh government’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission, 688,350 Rohingya refugees entered the country between August 28, 2017, and January 30 this year, after ARSA attacks on police outposts in Myanmar led to a renewed military crackdown in Rakhine state. On January 16, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a document on the physical arrangement for repatriation of Rohingya refugees, after the two countries inked an agreement on the repatriation issue on November 23 last year.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 01, 2018 20:03 UTC