8/8/22, 9:18 PM New evidence shows how Myanmar's military planned the Rohingya purge If R2P comes to Myanmar, the country will become “a failed state,” reads one slide. The presentation concluded that international uproar over the military operation was creating “excessive pressure” and that could “harm the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.” A 2018 internal report by military authorities that assessed the Rakhine operation said the Rohingya had been “eager to take over” northern Rakhine. Muslim religious scholars in Myanmar, the report said, were trying to implement a plan for the world to become Islamic in the 21st century and were “recklessly” accelerating birth rates to increase the Muslim population. The authorities, it said, may have had trouble policing in Rakhine because “many Bengalis have similar facial resemblance with each other.” The report points to democratic reforms in the country as having emboldened the Rohingya. Control over “extremist Bengalis” had weakened, the report said, when two Rohingya became members of parliament after power was transferred to a semi-civilian government following an election in 2010. REUTERS INVESTIGATES More Reuters investigations and long-form narratives Got a confidential news tip? Reuters Investigates o ers several ways to securely contact our reporters https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/myanmar-rohingya-warcrimes-investigation/ 29/34