New Audio Clips Expose Forced Recruitment in Rohingya Camps
New Audio Clips Expose Forced Recruitment in Rohingya Camps
Ko Ko Linn's Latest Orders Contradict Claims of Voluntary Recruitment
Two new and extremely concerning audio recordings featuring Ko Ko Linn, the leader of the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO), have recently surfaced, contradicting his previous statements and shedding light on more aggressive tactics being employed within the Rohingya refugee camps. These audios suggest a significant escalation in the forcible recruitment of Rohingya refugees to participate in the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, likely alongside the Myanmar military.
In one of the recordings, Ko Ko Linn orders the apprehension of key community figures:
"Apprehend all the teachers and Islamic scholars. Underaged boys will not be useful. The boys who are about 16, 17, 18, and 19 years old will not be useful. Apprehend all the school and religious teachers without leaving a single one behind. Apprehend completely and send to Myanmar within two days. Compel them in whatever way ou can. If they run away, look for them from where they run to. Utilise any necessary action to apprehend all and send.”
Hear the recording here:
The second recording intensifies this alarming tactic:
“Some Majhis are not cooperating with us and they are stopping people from joining us. If a Majhi opposes us, abduct him and put him on a vehicle. Any Majhi no matter who he is, abduct him and put on a vehicle. There is no other way to protect the nation.”
Here the recording here:
This clip explicitly reveals the coercive measures being taken against camp wardens, known as Majhis, if they dare to resist the RSO’s recruitment efforts. The language used by Ko Ko Linn portrays a ruthless approach to quashing any opposition within the camps. The first clip also implicitly acknowledges that previously underaged children were abducted by RSO.
These revelations are in direct contradiction to Ko Ko Linn’s previous public assurances where he claimed, "We are only apprehending our trained members from the camps; we are not arresting the general public." The audios not only refute these claims but also paint a grim picture of the situation in the camps, where the RSO, under Ko Ko Linn's leadership, appears to be engaging in systematic forced conscription and suppression of the Rohingya refugee population.
Adding to these concerns, the situation has taken a more disconcerting turn with Ko Ko Linn and Ayoub of the Arakan Rohingya Army openly conducting recruitment meetings under the aegis of the camp authorities and local law enforcement. This disturbing collaboration is further evidenced by recent events, where Ko Ko Linn and his associates were not only seen engaging with members of the standing committee of the Ministry of Defence but also featured prominently in official photos, smiling alongside powerful figures. This marks a stark transformation from just over a year ago when the RSO was merely regarded as a criminal element within a Parliamentary Standing Committee report on the Ministry of Defence. Today, they find themselves elevated to the status of government collaborators, their images now featured on official government websites. This is an alarming shift that signals profound implications for the governance and oversight of the refugee camps.
If you are wondering about the silence of the diaspora Rohingya leadership on these issues, the reason is straightforward. They are concerned that speaking out could make their relatives and associates vulnerable to retaliation by Ko Ko Linn’s RSO. For instance, when I revealed WhatsApp audios in February 2023, where Ko Ko Linn was heard exhorting violence, multiple sources - very prominent individuals - reached out to the Dhaka Tribune anonymously to verify that the voice was indeed his. They chose to remain anonymous because openly acknowledging this could have had serious repercussions for those involved.
The international community, as well as volunteers of watchdogs within the camps, need to urgently address these developments. The explicit content of these recordings calls for immediate action to safeguard the Rohingya refugee population. The RSO’s aggressive recruitment tactics, aided and abetted by the Bangladeshi authorities, not only threaten the safety and stability of the camps but also jeopardise the broader efforts toward achieving peace and justice for the Rohingya.
Read my story about how three families have been affected by RSO abductions in the Dhaka Tribune.