NUG warns that the military council in Rakhine state could create ethnic conflicts

The National Unity Government (NUG) issued a statement today warning that the military council could use the Rohingya as human shields and purposefully create ethnic and religious conflicts in the fighting in Rakhine State.

The military council, which is losing the war in Rakhine State, is using conscription laws and forcibly recruiting Rohingya as soldiers, and is aiming to destroy trust between the ethnic groups in the fighting, according to the statement.

U Aung Kyaw Moe, Deputy Minister of Human Rights in the NUG government, said, "There are Rohingya who were captured by the military council because there was no way to escape. May come later. The military council is a mistrust between ethnic groups, and he will be fine if there is a conflict between them. I will do it. So, I want to send a message to respond with great vision," he said.

NUG's statement also states that the military council's handlers are lobbying to destroy religious schools and residential buildings of minority religions in some areas of Rakhine State.

The NUG declared that the Military Conscription Law issued by the Military Council was illegal, and said that action would be taken against those who aided in the forced recruitment of soldiers.

RFA contacted Major General Zaw Min Tunsi, who is authorized to speak in the military council, to get feedback on the use of the Rohingyas in wars and the creation of ethnic and religious conflicts by the military council, but he did not receive an answer.