School property destroyed at school where Tatmadaw stayed

By Khine Roe La 20 Oct 2019

Khaing Roe La/ DMG

October 20, Rathedaung

After the Tatmadaw stayed at a school for 9 days, property at the middle school in Pane-Taw-Kone-Dan, a village in Rathedaung Township has been destroyed, according to what Headmistress Daw Than Than Nu told DMG.

The headmistress said that a force of more than 100 from the Battalion 22 had stayed at the school from October 9 to 18 and they had taken clothes and kitchen gear from the teacher’s dormitory with them.

She said that they destroyed school fences before they left, and they dug up holes on the ground and piled up sand to make bunkers.

“They destroyed teachers’ books and documents in the office. They destroyed speakers. And learning tools for students were ruined as well,” she said.
She added that apart from those things wires and solar lights were found destroyed as well and the matter has been reported to the Ministry of Education.

“We have been trying so hard to improve the education in the village, so when things get ruined, it weakens our will. I am sad for students in the area as well,” she said.

When DMG has made a phone to Colonel Win Zaw Oo of the Western Command to ask about the matter, the Tatmadaw denied that they have any military base in that area and their troops didn’t made any temporary camps at the school and also they didn’t destroy any property in the school.

Daw Khin Saw Wai, the Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Rathedaung Township, commented on the matter, she disapproved of this action because the education level in Arakan was very low.

“I don’t want to comment about how the two sides are fighting. But, this is a place where children learn. We condemn these things,” said Daw Khin Saw Wai.
The middle school has 170 students and 15 staff including teachers.

At the September 25’s meeting of the Arakan State parliament, a request has been made and approved that the state government should manage to prevent and avoid historical buildings, religious buildings, villages and public places from being used as cover in battles taking place in Arakan State.

Tatmadaw members also approved the request. On September 26, the Arakan Army (AA) made a public statement that they welcomed this decision and they would follow it strictly.