Questions have been raised about an audio recording that has surfaced in which the speaker urges his followers to carry out mass killings of members of Rohingya insurgent group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa), located in the camps of Ukhiya.
Multiple sources have confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune that the voice on the audio recording is that of Ko Ko Linn, a leader of a Rohingya refugee insurgent group, the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO).
Ko Ko Linn denies that the voice on the audio recording is his.
According to Linn: “The original voice owner is living in Saudi Arabia and his name is Sayed Alam. After releasing this audio on WhatsApp, there were death threats to him by the members of ARSA. I do have his WhatsApp number and for security reasons, I do not want to reveal his number in public and on social media.
All the statements that we released will be found in our official letter and on our media accounts to know what our true sayings are.”
Dhaka Tribune has been unable to contact Mr Alam to confirm directly that the voice in the audio recording is his, as stated by Linn.
On condition of anonymity, multiple sources have confirmed to Dhaka Tribune that the voice on the audio recording is that of Ko Ko Linn.
According to one Rohingya leader/activist: “I am able to confirm that the audio that Shafiur Rahman's article refers to and the audio Mr Shafiur Rahman published is indeed the voice of Ko Ko Linn. There is no doubt about this.”
Another confirms: “I am writing to you to confirm that the audio clip referred to in the Dhaka Tribune article by Shafiur Rahman published yesterday is that of Ko Ko Linn. I have known Ko Ko Linn for many years and I can confirm without any doubt that that is his voice. There are many audio clips of Ko Ko Linn on YouTube with which you can compare his voice.”
The Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) is a long-dormant insurgency group that recently re-emerged, declaring that it seeks to represent and advocate for the rights of Rohingya refugees in Myanmar.
However, recent events have cast a dark shadow over the leadership of the organization's head, Ko Ko Linn.
On January 18, the RSO participated in a violent operation at Zero Point refugee camp, claiming it was their "unavoidable duty" to destroy the No Man's land settlement where Arsa, with whom they are in conflict, had made a base.
The operation resulted in the displacement of 4,500 Rohingya and multiple deaths.
A recording obtained by journalist Shafiur Rahman reveals a much more disturbing story.
In the recording, the speaker, the voice of whom has been identified by multiple sources as belonging to Ko Ko Linn, who is based in Chittagong, can be heard ordering his followers to carry out mass killings of members of Arsa, located in the camps of Ukhiya. The recording was made after the destruction of the Zero Point camp.
In the audio clip, the speaker orders his followers to kill members of Arsa, using violent language: “Kill them like the way you kill mosquitoes. Kill them like the way you kill insects.”
The speaker further instructs his followers to “drag them from the shelters and kill them by stabbing them,” referring to Arsa or Al Yakin members. He adds: “They don't deserve funeral prayers. They should not be given a funeral shroud.”
The speaker justifies the killings in the three-plus minute audio recording, saying “it would not be a sin to kill them, and those who do will be rewarded like martyrs by Allah on the Day of Resurrection.”
Rezaur Rahman Lenin, a Dhaka-based rights defender, said: “The audio recording is an alarming and explicit incitement to commit violence. The refugee camps are supposed to be safe havens under the protection of due process of law, but this recording throws justice into disrepute and threatens to trample on the basic rights of the innocent to live free from violence. It is critical that refugees are able to live in safety and with dignity and human rights, free from the threat of violence and targeted attacks from state and non-state actors.”
It is unclear if the authorities have taken any action in response to the recording.
The recording is doubly concerning because, according to multiple sources from the camps, the RSO has increased its movement and presence in Kutupalong camps, especially in camps where many Arsa members reside.
The sources allege that RSO members are working as informants and enforcers for the Bangladeshi security forces, who are under pressure to maintain law and order in the camps and prevent any Arsa activities or violence.
The audio recording has raised serious concerns about the leadership of the RSO and their role in the refugee camps. One Rohingya majhi has said on condition of anonymity: “The Rohingya community needs advocates who can help them secure their rights and protect them from violence, but they must be able to trust those who claim to represent them. The role of Ko Ko Linn in the violent operation and ordering of mass killings raises serious questions about his leadership and the future of the Rohingya community under the RSO.”
[A version of this article first appeared online on February 26, 2023 under the headline “Rohingya leader's audio urging mass killings sparks concerns” and under the byline of Shafiur Rahman. It has been edited to reflect information received by Dhaka Tribune after the initial publication.]
