Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi's spokesman: "We do not negotiate with terrorists." The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) announces the truce until 9 October for humanitarian purposes. Army: Nearly 400 Islamic militants have been killed so far. The exodus of about 300,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh. The displaced among the ethnic groups are 30,000.
Yangon (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Myanmar government has rejected the ceasefire declared by Muslim Rohingya militants to allow aid to thousands of displaced persons in the state of Rakhine, declaring that they do not want to negotiate with terrorists.
The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) announced the truce on its Twitter account, which called on humanitarian workers to resume assistance to "all victims of the crisis, regardless of ethnicity or religion," during the period up to to 9 October. The press also called on the authorities to "accept this humanitarian break" in the fighting.
On 25 August, hundreds of militants from the Arsa, known by locals like Harakah al-Yaqin (Movement of the Faith), launched a series of coordinated attacks on about 30 police and army posts in the northern Rakhine. The counter-offensive by the Burmese security forces led to the exodus of about 300,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh, while the displaced among the ethnic groups are about 30,000.
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh state that during repression Rakhine's government forces and Buddhists have killed the inhabitants of their villages without distinction, burning down hundreds of homes. Ethnic groups, however, accuse the Muslims of atrocities against their people, while the government asserts that the fleeing Rohingya set fire to their homes to foment fear and anti-state rage.
The authorities and the army of Myanmar did not respond officially to the statement of the truce by Arsa. However, Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi's spokeswoman said on Twitter: "We do not negotiate with terrorists".
The Myanmar government says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against "Bengali terrorists" responsible for a series of attacks on police and army since last October. The army reveals that it has killed nearly 400 militants so far, while some Rohingya refugees claim to have been forced to fight among the ranks of the Arsa.