A/HRC/39/CRP.2 January 2018.2584 The Deputy Minister for Home Affairs stated that, following the October 2016 violence, 34 more Rakhine community militia groups had been established in the Maungdaw-Buthidaung region, three of which were armed by the Tatmadaw and had been provided tactical weapons training up to an advanced level in February and March 2017. 2585 On 8 August 2017, the Rakhine State General Administrative Department issued an announcement referring to acts of “extremist terrorism” perpetrated by “Muslim Bengalis” that forced “local residents to flee their native homes”. Significantly, the statement also referenced “a security system and cooperation among the public and particular security forces.”2586 1146. On 9 August 2017, a seven-member delegation from the Arakan National Party visited Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, the Commander-in-Chief of the Tatmadaw, in Naypyidaw to discuss local concerns and to call for further heightened security measures in Rakhine State.2587 The next day, the Rakhine State Government announced that the Tatmadaw would be carrying out an “area clearance operation” in the Mayu mountain range. 2588 According to a media source, the announcement was intended to alert ethnic Rakhine, so that they would avoid the mountains and not be mistaken as targets. 2589 1147. Intercommunal relationships were likely further weakened by divisive rhetoric from Rakhine politicians, repeated calls for ethnic Rakhine to be armed to protect themselves, and the actual arming and training of some ethnic Rakhine. 1148. In some village tracts, new non-Rohingya people were brought into northern Rakhine State, including into NaTaLa villages, directly in advance of the clearance operations. 2590 It remains unclear who these people were, although some were believed to be Buddhists from Bangladesh.2591 One interviewee from Kyauk Pan Du, southern Maungdaw Township, witnessed new people arriving in the nearby NaTaLa village for two to three months prior to August 2017. He said that there was a large group of youths who would stay for about a week and then leave and return later, and that he subsequently identified these people as participants in the “clearance operation”.2592 A number of other interviewees also informed the Mission that new arrivals to NaTaLa villages had been seen participating in the “clearance operations”.2593 1149. In Gu Dar Pyin village, Buthidaung Township, villagers observed the arrivals of these new people in the week directly preceding 25 August. One Rohingya man observed: Recently new people were brought to live in the NaTaLa. Our Rohingya villagers always had a good relationship with our Rakhine neighbours. Even after October 2016, the relationship was good. But then the new arrivals came, about one week before the violence. All the relationships broke down. 2594 Increased military build-up in northern Rakhine State after October 2016 1150. In the weeks prior to the 25 August ARSA attacks, there was a noticeable build-up of troops and other military assets across the three townships. 2595 2584 2585 2586 2587 2588 2589 2590 2591 2592 2593 2594 2595 270 “2nd Amyotha Hluttaw, 7th regular session, 9th day on 30 January 2018”, meeting minutes, available at: https://bit.ly/2NaW1SQ Ibid., See also Myoe Mint, “Deputy Minister Says Tatmadaw Arming, Training up to 30 Militias in Maungdaw” (The Irrawaddy, 30 January 2018). Republic of Union of Myanmar, State Administrative Government, Rakhine State Announcement 1/ 2007 (8 August 2017). V-229. V-231 http://thevoicemyanmar.com/news/10992-mrt LI-054, LI-061, LI-063, LI-065, LI-066, LI-071, LI-110. LI-054, LI-110, WI-048. ZI-001. LI-054, LI-061, LI-063, LI-065, LI-066, LI-071, LI-110. LI-062. LI-071, QI-111, QI-112, QI-116, WM-003.