All Arakan Solidarity Committee urges to solve conflict through political approach

By Khin Tharaphy Oo 18 Mar 2019

Khin Tharaphy Oo/DMG

March 18, Sittwe

Ongoing fighting in Rakhine has been occurring between the Tatmadaw and AA because of political problems and it should be resolved through a political means, the All Arakan Solidarity Committee (Organizing) has urged on Monday.

The committee released a statement on March 18 in which it said that it felt extremely sorry for the people affected by the armed conflicts and called on the government to provide humanitarian aid as quickly as possible for displaced people.

“It needs to solve problems in a peaceful and productive way. In other words, political problems should be resolved by using a political approach and constructive dialogue. We will urge officials to do so. Currently, we need to encourage and provide IDPs for their living. We also request relevant authorities to provide relief aid for them,” said U Khin Maung Gyi, leader of the committee.

The committee welcomed the government’s invitation to ethnic armed groups to engage in peace talks, the statement said. It also urges all ethnic races in Myanmar to see the Rakhine issue as a problem that impacts all of the ethnic groups in the Union of Myanmar and they should all assist the Rakhine people the best ways possible.

It denounced wrongful detention, use of local people as human shields, killing people and destroying or seizing of people’s properties that armed groups are committing in the region.

The committee also announced that it strongly objected to the oppression and persecution of armed groups.