Military’s arbitrary civilian arrests are violation of human rights: Arakan activist group

By DMG 24 Jun 2022

DMG Newsroom
24 June 2022, Sittwe

The Arakan Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Association (AHRDPA) said in a statement on Friday that the Myanmar military’s arbitrary arrests of civilians in Arakan State are a clear violation of human rights.

U Mrat Tun, an executive director of AHRDPA, told DMG that the military has arrested and tortured some civilians in Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Ponnagyun and Sittwe townships in recent days.

“At present, the Myanmar military is arresting people in the spirit of military action without resorting to political means,” he said. “In response to the Arakan Army’s detention of some junta soldiers, the Myanmar military began arbitrarily arresting and detaining civilians. Arbitrary arrests of civilians by the Myanmar military are a criminal offence and a violation of human rights.”

The AHRDPA strongly condemned the practice, saying that arbitrary arrests were a clear violation of human rights.

Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army have largely observed an informal ceasefire since November 2020, after two years of often-intense fighting.

But tensions between the two sides are currently high, and some junta soldiers have been arrested by the Arakan Army, which has said its actions have been in response to military arrests of its members. The Myanmar military has ]recently made dozens of civilian arrests in a handful Arakan State townships on suspicion of having links with the Arakan Army.

“Both sides need to consider the arrests in Arakan State,” said veteran Arakanese politician Dr. Aye Maung. “Intermediaries need to meet between the AA and the Myanmar military; a person of mutual trust in the current context. If we want peace, we need to express both sides.”

Dr. Aye Maung added that an agreement is needed to release the detainees, in order to build mutual trust between the two sides.

“Dialogue is key and mutual trust is needed between the two sides. It remains to be seen whether the two sides will start talking or Major-General Zaw Min Tun will invite the Arakan Army for talks at a press conference,” he told DMG.

The Arakan Army spokesman told DMG on June 21 the Myanmar military’s arrest of civilians in Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U townships undermines trust between the two organisations.

Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for the junta’s State Administration Council, was not available for comment.

At a press conference in May, the regime spokesman said the military is tolerating the AA for the sake of peace and the country, and told the ethnic armed group not to blame the military if anything bad happens in Arakan State due to the AA’s “provocative” acts.

The Arakan Army detained 11 junta soldiers and policemen from Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Mrauk-U, Ramree and Sittwe from June 11-23, according to figures compiled by DMG.

In apparent response, the Myanmar military has arrested dozens of civilians in Arakan State, some of whom have been released, though exact numbers are not known.