Myanmar government authorities said there have been no reports of attacks by Rohingya militants following the expiration last night of a one-month ceasefire declared by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).
ARSA declared the ceasefire through its Twitter account on September 10, saying the purpose was to allow humanitarian aid to reach the people of Rakhine State. The state erupted into violence on August 25, when ARSA attacked dozens of Myanmar security outposts, reportedly killing 11 government troops. The attacks triggered a military response that has displaced more than 500,000 Rohingya civilians to Bangladesh, prompting the UN to accuse Myanmar of ethnic cleansing.
The Myanmar government has dismissed allegations of ethnic cleansing, framing its operations in Rakhine State as counter-terrorism. When ARSA declared the ceasefire, the government rejected it, saying it would no negotiate with “terrorists.”
In anticipation of the end of the ceasefire, Myanmar authorities have been on alert for renewed violence, but Rakhine State officials said today that no attacks have been reported so far.
“If at any stage, the Burmese government is inclined to peace, then ARSA will welcome that inclination and reciprocate,” the group wrote in the same statement that declared the end of the ceasefire.
The inclination toward peace appears distant, as a new wave of Rohingya refugees streams across the Bangladeshi border to escape starvation as a result of restrictions on aid and movement, as well as attacks by Buddhist Rakhines, who have reportedly been aided by Myanmar security forces.
There have also been reports that the next ARSA attack is coming soon. India Today published a video today that allegedly shows several ARSA members in an undisclosed location in Myanmar pledging revenge on the Myanmar army over its persecution of the Rohingya.
The content of the video has not been verified.
