Narinjara News, January 25, 2023

The MilitaryCouncil announced today that it has restructured a special investigative tribunal established to investigate a massacre occurred inChut Pyin (Muslim) village in Rathedaung Township, during the conflict that broke out in RakhineState in 2017.

After turning ablind eye to the Chut Pyin village incident for a long time, the Military Council’s efforts to establish a new special investigativetribunal and resume investigationsmay be due to international pressure, U Aung Thaung Shwe, a former Pyithu Hluttaw (House ofRepresentatives) representative from Buthidaung Township, told Narinjara.

“ Ithink they are doing this to lure an internationally acceptable situation. How transparent the investigations will be depends ontheir work. We should watch how much international recognition their actions will have”, hecommented.”

Junta-controlledmedia reported on January 24th that Major General Myat Kyaw, who was assigned to conduct the necessary investigationto uncover the facts regarding the Chut Pyin village incident, had now retired, hence the specialinvestigative tribunal had to be revamped.

In the newformation of the special investigative tribunal, Brigadier General Soe Tint replaced Major General Myat Kyaw as the chairperson,and Colonel Than Hlaing and Colonel Myo Aung joined as members.

A specialinvestigative tribunal led by Major General Myat Kyaw was formed by the Myanmar Military on July 2nd, 2020, to find out aboutthe incidents that took place in Chut Pyin village of Rathedaung Township and Maung Nu (Monu Para)village of ButhidaungTownship, in connection with the violent attacks that occurred in August 2017.

The specialinvestigative tribunal claimed that it had already conducted thorough investigations into the incident in Maung Nuvillage. However, regarding the incident in Chut Pyin village, the investigation has beentemporarily suspended due to the fact that the residents in and around the village no longerlive there, the Covid-19 epidemic, and restrictions on travel, it said.

The newly formedspecial investigative tribunal will continue to take over the unfinished investigation of Chut Pyin village, the MilitaryCouncil stated. The special investigative tribunal will only present the results of theinvestigation to the military court, and the military court will decide on any punishment.

At midnight onAugust 25th, 2017, ARSA armed insurgent group attacked more than 30 border guard police outposts and a MyanmarMilitary battalion in Buthidaung, Maungdaw and Rathedaung Townships simultaneously.

In the aftermath ofthat attack, the Myanmar Military torched houses and committed massacres in Chut Pyin and Maung Nu villages whileconducting area clearance operations, locals alleged.

On January 21st,2020, the Independent Commission of Inquiry (ICOE) released a report on the incident, stating that around 100people including ARSA insurgents and Muslim civilians in Chut Pyin village, and a populationbetween 100 and 200 in Maung Nu village, were slain.

The systematiccampaign in 2017 resulted in the massive bloodshed in Rakhine state primarily directed at Rohingya people and otherMuslims. An estimated more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims hadfled to neighboring Bangladesh, according to international organizations.

There were also afew deaths of security forces, as well as Rakhine, Mro, Thet, Daingnet, Maramagyi and Hindu tribes.Tens ofthousands of people from local Rakhine and Rakhine comprises ethnic groups have fled tonearby cities.