Arakan Army lauds Magway Region-based anti-regime armed group

By Admin 29 Mar 2023

DMG Newsroom
29 March 2023, Sittwe

A day after junta boss Min Aung Hlaing announced that the parallel National Unity Government (NUG) and armed organisations supporting them would be crushed decisively, the Arakan Army (AA) praised the People’s Revolution Alliance (PRA-Magway), one of several non-state armies waging war against the military regime.

In a congratulatory message sent by the AA’s Nova Military Region on the second anniversary of the found of PRA-Magway, which fell on March 28, the AA said: “We commend the activities, performance and leadership of the PRA-Magway, which has strong political goals, objectives and revolutionary convictions among the organisations that are fighting against the Myanmar junta, and has gained public support during these two years.”

In addition, the AA hopes that the leaders of PRA-Magway will continue to support the Spring Revolution, the message said. 

The PRA-Magway was formed in Magway on March 28, 2021, less than two months after the military coup, to fight against the junta in Magway Region with the aim of eradicating the dictatorship.

Local allied revolutionary groups including the NUG, Arakan Army and Bamar People’s Liberation Army (BPLA) sent congratulatory messages as PRA-Magway held a ceremony at its headquarters on Tuesday.

Magway Region borders Ann Township in Arakan State, and PRA-Magway is said to have a good relationship with the Arakan Army.

“The fact that AA sent the message shows that it is helping the PRA-Magway,” said U Myo Lwin, a social activist in Ann. “Some of the anti-regime forces that are deeply involved in the Spring Revolution learned from the AA’s tactics, showing that the AA had a comfortable relationship with them.”

DMG continues to attempt to contact U Khaing Thukha, spokesman for the AA, regarding the message of felicitations and the two armed groups’ relations more generally.

Other anti-regime forces have been known to send messages to the Arakan Army regarding its support for the Spring Revolution, with the AA also providing asylum to some politicians and activists that the regime has sought to arrest since the coup.