'Hindu Killing in Rakhine': Foreign minister surprised at Amnesty report

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali has expressed surprise at the sudden report of the Amnesty International which claimed that a Rohingya armed group was responsible for the massacre of up to 99 Hindu women, men, and children in Myanmar's Rakhine State in August last year.

Responding to a question during a press briefing at the foreign ministry yesterday, he questioned why the Amnesty International came up with the report so late, and said they might have some intention behind it. 

Referring to the Myanmar military version which claimed in 2017 that Rohingyas attacked with kitchen knives and other weapons like spade and billhook, he said how Rohingyas could carry out armed attacks on army bases with these things. 

In reply to another question, he ruled out any negative impact on the ongoing Rohingya repatriation talks between Bangladesh and Myanmar because of the Amnesty report, saying people these days do not believe their stuff.

On the issue of repatriation, he said negotiation with Myanmar is highly difficult but still discussion is going on, and Myanmar so far verified over 2,000 people out of a list of 8,032 given by Bangladesh.

Asked about the possible time to start the repatriation, the minister said he will not give any timeframe. "But I'm hopeful."