Monastery or Arsenal: Weapons in Rakhine Buddhist Monasteries in Arakan

By MYARF

November 29, 2013

Maungdaw, Arakan

Myanmar Military Regime has achieved untold political gains by scapegoating Muslims especially Rohingyas under the smokescreens of Buddhism and national sovereignty. Likewise, Rakhine politicians and extremists, either, have not fallen behind the regime in targeting Rohingyas to achieve their political mileage. The reason why Rakhines have become so hostile and brutal towards Rohingyas is not but political. They consider the presence of 'Rohingyas or any other Muslim groups' in Arakan a barrier to fulfilling their dream of an independent and exclusively Rakhine Buddhist state called "Maha Rakkhita Naing-Ngan-Daw-Gri." On the other hand, they consider (supremacist) Burman Buddhists equal or bigger hindrance to achieving their political target.

So to fulfill their dream, first they have to crush either one of the two groups they consider their enemies. As a first step, when Myanmar triggered violence against Rohingyas in June 2012, they grabbed the opportunity to crush Rohingyas (, the weakest group in Myanmar). Hence, they have been playing a role as equal as Myanmar regime in the ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas and Kamans. Similarly, Rakhine extremists are taking advantage of the notorious Neo-Nazi protests led by facists in saffron robes and blind supports received from the ultra-racist faction of the Buddhists in the country in order to hide its evil political agenda in the dark.

With this agenda on their minds, Rakhine monks and politicians have turned the monasteries (meant to be places for meditation and where one is meant to cut relationship with the external world) into Arsenals and halls for political gatherings. Hence, monateries in Arakan state remain no longer monsteries. In the past, Myanmar government confiscated many weapons from the monasteries in the border region especially from the 'Myoma Chaung Taike' of Maungdaw though the reports were not made public. The abbot of the monastery, Ashin Kaytu, is a powerful and influential Rakhine monk in Arakan. Taking advantage of that, Rakhine separatists smuggle weapons from India and Bangladesh and store in monasteries.

Weapons at the monastery of Allu-Daw-Bre, Opposite to Maungdaw General Hospital. Myo Ma Kyaung Taike (Myo Ma Monastery) in Maungdaw, Notorious for Storing Weapons

(Photo Courtesy: MYARF)

The pictures shown above are some pictures of the weapons at the monastry of 'Allu Daw Bye Chaung Taike' opposite to Maungdaw General Hospital. We have received these solid evidences through our sources in Rakhine community. Many may question on the authencity of the pictures whether these weapons actually belong to 'Allu Daw Bye Chaung Taike' or not. Two clues for the authencity of the pictures: Look at the Floor and the Wall in the pictures. And go and check inside the said monastery. (It is a monastery where many innocent Rohingyas were slughtered last year. Report HERE. Is it a monastery or an Adolf Eichmann's Hell?)

Some other places such as in Sittwe (Akyab) where Rakhine separatists are likely to store weapons are 1) "Kyar' Na Gaung (Two Tiger) Monastery" at the quarter of Kun-Dan, 2) Monastery at the Quarter of "Thin-Baw-Seik (Jetty), 3) "Paya-Gyi" Monastery and nearby monastries, 4) Noble Hotel, 5) Shwe Thazin Hotel, 6) San Pya Guest-House, 7) Byu-Pout' Guest-House and 8) Fat-Sek-6 Fish Warehouses at the quarter of Narzi and owned by U Aung Naing Win.

Therefore, we would like to request the government of Myanmar to investigate on this serious matter and carry out immediate raids in the Rakhine monasteries in Arakan. Only if the government really protects the sovereignty of the country as it says! At the same time, by the facts explained above, we hope international community will become more aware of the ill-motive why Rakhine politicians with vested-interests and extremists are massacring Rohingya and Kaman Muslims in the name of Buddhism and sovereignty of Myanmar.

Also read a related article: Rakhine Narcotics and Terrorist Rings Unmasked..

MYARF is a group of Rohingya grassroots activists in Arakan. The views expressed and the facts mentioned here are of their own and do not necessarily reflect editorial policy of RB. MYARF can be reached at: myarfarakan@gmail.com