Defunct Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) reappeared on social media to pledge fight against the Military regime
The Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO), a political organisation founded in 1982, which armed branch had merged into the Rohingya National Army (RNA) in 1998, had reappeared on social media, pledging to fight the “facist military” and fight for the human rights of the Rohingya people.
Formerly designed as a terrorist organisation, fighters from RSO were formerly sent to train in Pakistan and known to have fought in Afghanistan under the Al Qaeda’s flag. They were more well known in their bombing operation and incursions into Myanmar from Bangladesh.
The Al Qaeda linked RSO is reported to pay Rohingya recruits over $500 USD of enlistment reward + $175 USD monthly salary. And if they were killed in action, it is said that the families would be offered $1750 USD in compensation. The “death compensation” is a huge draw for a lot of young Rohingya men to join the RSO. However, we (DPA) are skeptical about Al Qaeda/RSO following through with this promise.
The big problem now is that the civilian population, including the government-in-exiles, are desperate for any kind of support and allies. And if they were to accept or see the RSO as an ally, this will legitimize the terrorist organisation and would likely present a future problem that will plague Myanmar for decades to come.
RSO will likely continue on their mission to set up an independent Islamic state of Rohingya – which will clash with the ideals of the National Unity Government (NUG) to form a Federal State of Myanmar which includes giving Rohingya citizenship. We afraid this will just become another repeat of the failed attempts by the “rohingya” separatist movement to form their own country after failing to join East Pakistan.
We will continue to watch the developments of Rakhine and the Rohingya in this wider conflict between Myanmar and its Military.