Border News Agency
Maungdaw, August 23.

The allegation that the Arakan Army (AA) killed more than six hundred Muslims in Htan Shauk Khan Village, Buthidaung Township, is false, according to statements released by Islamic religious leaders, local elders, and youths in Maungdaw District.

They responded that those abroad making such allegations are deliberately fabricating stories because they do not want to see peaceful coexistence among local communities on the ground.

On August 23, more than 160 people from Maungdaw District including over 80 Islamic religious leaders (mawlawi), Muslim community elders, businesspersons, and youths signed and issued the statement.

“One false and baseless incident could damage the peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Rakhine in Maungdaw and Buthidaung. That is why, in order to continue living together in harmony in the long run, we had to respond to the false news released by Ro Nay San Lwin and others,” said Mawlawi Mamat Ali, one of the signatories and an Islamic religious leader, in an interview with Border News Agency.

According to the junta’s 2023 census, Htan Shauk Khan Village had 114 households with a population of 933. A post-conflict headcount also recorded 790 residents remaining in the village and 138 who had left abroad, totaling 928 people still accounted for. Therefore, the claim that more than six hundred people from Htan Shauk Khan were massacred is entirely baseless and nothing more than a fabricated report, the statement from the Muslim religious leaders said.

They added that such fabricated propaganda not only harms peaceful coexistence and mutual harmony between local Rakhine and Muslim communities, but also fuels hatred, misunderstandings, and mistrust. They described it as a deliberate act driven by political motives to incite division and pit the two communities against each other.

Therefore, Muslim religious leaders and community leaders from Maungdaw District have completely rejected and condemned the allegation.

“Those living abroad are spreading false propaganda, which threatens the peaceful coexistence we have here among different communities — Rakhine, Muslims, Thet, and others. By doing so, they are trying to undermine the harmony we enjoy. In reality, we live together peacefully inside the country, but they do not want to see this,” said Mamat Enus, a Muslim community elder.

Muslims have also stated that trust and mutual respect between Muslim and Rakhine communities in the Arakan region are being restored, with increased interaction, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence.

“In the past, under the junta, there was no such harmony, interaction, or understanding. But now, we have gained it greatly. Here, there is no racial discrimination. We clearly see that people are held responsible for their own actions my mistakes are mine, and theirs are theirs,” said Mamat Enus.

Some people abroad have claimed, showing skeletal photos, that the Arakan Army killed over 600 villagers in Htan Shauk Khan Village near the No. 15 Military Operations Command (MOC-15) in Buthidaung Township on May 2, 2024.

However, Khine Thukha, speaking on behalf of the Arakan Army, responded that this allegation is false. He stated that a fierce clash occurred inside Htan Shaung Khan Village between junta troops from MOC-15 and the Arakan Army, and only junta soldiers were killed.

Journalists were invited to Htan Shauk Khan Village to report on the incident and were allowed to interview villagers as well as former junta officers who had personally participated in the battle.

Colonel Kaung Myat, a former deputy commander of MOC-15 who was present during the Htan Shauk Khan clash, also told reporters that no Muslims were killed near the village; only junta soldiers and Muslim militants serving the military were casualties.