AA spox has harsh words for junta and Arakan State’s military govt, and warns of potential for more conflict

By DMG 11 Aug 2022

DMG Newsroom
11 August 2022, Sittwe 

The Arakan Army spokesman has warned of the potential for escalating hostilities with the Myanmar military if the junta continues to arrest civilians in Arakan State, saying dozens of civilians detained over recent weeks remain behind bars. 

“The Myanmar military has arrested about 100 civilians in Arakan State since the last week of June this year, but some people were released,” said the spokesman U Khaing Thukha, speaking at the AA’s fourth online press conference on Thursday. “Nearly 50 people remain detained.” 

He added that the regime has arrested dozens of innocent people who are alleged to have provided illegal support to the Arakan Army. 

“When the public support for the ULA/AA was at its peak due to the political situation, the Myanmar military began to arrest innocent people who believed to support the ULA/AA for various reasons,” he said. 

“If the junta troops continue to arrest the people of Arakan State unjustly, there will be the possibility of escalating clashes in Arakan State,” the AA spokesman warned. 

U Khaing Thukha advised local people in Arakan State to exercise caution in the face of the AA’s limited ability to prevent the military regime from carrying out arbitrary arrests.  

“It is not easy for us to stop the Myanmar military arresting and torturing innocent people. The reason why the military tensions between the AA and Myanmar military are running high is because of the unjust arrests of local people in Arakan State by the junta forces,” he said. 

U Khaing Thukha also had harsh words for Arakan State’s military government, which reports to the junta regime in Naypyidaw. 

“If the ministers of the regime’s Arakan State government only indulge in their power and authority against the people, and continue to harm the people just to please the regime … we have previously warned that we would handle [them] accordingly, in accordance with the needs of the situation, our revolution, public security and the Way of Rakhita,” he said. “Today, I repeat our stern warning to the Arakan State government, which is a stooge of the regime.” 

The AA spokesman singled out Major-General Htin Latt Oo, the head of the military’s Western Command, which oversees Arakan State, and Arakan State Security and Border Affairs Colonel Kyaw Thura for criticisms, alleging that the duo are systematically depriving local people, restricting commodity flows into Arakan State, and oppressing local residents. 

The restriction of commodity flows is a serious crime against humanity, U Khaing Thukha added. 

DMG was unable to obtain comment from junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun and Arakan State Minister for Security and Border Affairs Colonel  Kyaw Thura. 

Military tensions have been running high between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army for months, with intermittent clashes between the two sides over recent weeks threatening a precarious informal ceasefire between the two sides that has been in place since November 2020.