YANGON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Residents in Myanmar's former capital city of Yangon have continued to stage protests on Monday, denouncing some western countries' interference in the Rakhine issue and some international media's ignorance of the true situation in northern Rakhine state.
The protesters who staged their demonstration in front of the City Hall, condemned the interference of some western countries on Myanmar's sovereignty and for putting pressure on the country while neglecting the truth.
The protesters strongly rejected the accusation that Myanmar had been conducting genocide in the region, stressing that the Rakhine issue is an internal problem caused by illegal immigrants.
They pointed out that those who died in the clashes include Hindus, ethnic nationals like Rakhine, Mro and Daingnet.
They urged the international media to stand on the side of truth by valuing human rights.
"Purposely biased international media are feeding incomplete information on Myanmar's issue and strengthening terrorism," read on a placard.
Residents staged rallies to show their support for State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi in her handling of the Rakhine issue.
Showing their solidarity with Aung San Suu Kyi, participants noted the state counselor is taking a firm stand in handling the situation in Rakhine, and called for support for Aung San Suu Kyi who is under international pressure with the issue.
The participants also urged unity among the citizens to overcome the pressure put on Aung San Suu Kyi from some other countries and some international organizations.
Aung San Suu Kyi, in her speech on the government's national reconciliation and peace efforts on Sept. 19, called on the international community to cooperate for constructively tackling the issue in northern Rakhine state.
She voiced the government's pledge to implement the recommendations by the Advisory Commission, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, saying that those recommendations will help bring speedy improvement to the situation of the state within the shortest time frame.
She highlighted the government's social economic development in Rakhine, disclosing that the Rakhine state's socio-economic development plan 2017-2021 has been drafted to boost regional development in various sectors including infrastructure and electrification as well as creation of new job opportunities for local people through private-public partnership.
She stressed that all people in Rakhine state inclusive Muslim students have access to education and healthcare services without discrimination.
She also said the government is trying to promote inter-communal religious harmony by engaging interfaced groups.
A day after her speech, Aung San Suu Kyi held a meeting with the Implementation Committee of Recommendations on Rakhine state, disclosing that the Myanmar authorities are also planning to form a committee to implement national verification process, the rehabilitation and resettlement and long-term development programs.
The programs were meant not only for Muslims but also for Rakhines, Mro, Daing-net and Mramagyi as well as the Hindu minority who fled their villages due to extremist terrorists' attacks as part of the refugee repatriation and resettlement process, she stressed.
Meanwhile, foreign diplomats including those from the European Union countries and representatives from UN agencies visited three conflicted areas in Rakhine state, namely Maungtaw, Yathedaung and Buthidaung on Monday.
They reiterated in a statement their condemnation of the Aug. 25 attacks committed by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) extremist terrorists and voiced their deep concern about the violence and mass displacement.
They also called for unimpeded humanitarian access to all parts of the Rakhine region and expressed their readiness to work with the Myanmar government to help Rakhine reach its potential.
They voiced their support for the full implementation of the report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, which has set out recommendations for a stable, peaceful and prosperous future for all communities in the state irrespective of ethnicity, religion or citizenship status.
The ARSA extremist terrorists launched fresh attacks on police outposts in Rakhine on Aug. 25, displacing residents from a number of areas in Maungtaw district to the border areas with Bangladesh.
