Politicians say prisoner swap between AA, military would ease tensions in Arakan State

By DMG 02 Jul 2022

DMG Newsroom
2 July 2022, Sittwe 

Politicians have called for a prisoner swap to defuse rising military tensions between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State. 

Military tensions have been running high in Arakan for months, with the two sides seizing each other’s personnel in recent weeks. 

During two years of often-intense fighting between the military and the Arakan Army between late 2018 and November 2020, hundreds of civilians were arrested and charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law on suspicion of having ties to the ethnic armed group, which was then labeled a terrorist organisation. 

Arrests became less common after the two sides agreed to an unofficial ceasefire in November 2020. 

Over the past 17 months, with the Myanmar military distracted by the fallout from its February 2021 coup, the AA has consolidated its control in Arakan State. The AA’s political wing, the United League of Arakan (ULA), has been gradually replacing the regime’s administration with its own, complete with a functioning judiciary, a police force and public services provisioning. 

As it has recently sought to counter the Arakan Army’s influence, Myanmar’s military regime began making arrests again in May, searching villages for AA affiliates and detaining them. A war of words has also played out between two sides, with the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army both warning of the potential for a resumption of hostilities. 

In June, the AA responded by seizing junta personnel. From June 11 to 23, the ethnic armed group detained 14 junta soldiers and police in Sittwe, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U and Ramree townships. The regime then detained around 50 activists and residents in those townships. 

Former political prisoner and writer Wai Hin Aung said the two sides are seeking to demonstrate their authority through the arrests. 

“They are making arrests to show each other who has the real power in Arakan,” he said. “The AA shows that it can arrest military personnel at any time, and the military shows that it can threaten the AA’s [Arakanese] people at any time. If the two sides agree to release their detainees, then the ceasefire will hold.” 

Out of about 50 residents detained by the regime, only 15 have been released to date. The regime has sentenced two Sittwe residents to one month in prison for “being unable to give satisfactory explanation about why they were loitering on streets at night.” It has also opened incitement cases against three Kyauktaw residents. 

Detention of innocent civilians is unacceptable, leaders of the Arakan National Party (ANP) have said.  

U Tun Aung Kyaw, a senior figure in the ANP, said: “They have fought for years, and I don’t think their fighting will end. They need to negotiate for the sake of the people. There might be other roads that lead to Rome. They can find other ways by negotiating while minimising impacts on the people.” 

The rising military tensions are disrupting the day-to-day lives of local people, many of whom now live in a state of fear, said Arakan State residents who are concerned about a possible return to war. More than 200,000 people were displaced during the two years of fighting between two sides. 

The military and Arakan Army could restore mutual understanding by releasing each other’s detainees, suggested former Arakan State Parliament lawmaker U Kyaw Lwin. 

“Instead of making arrests, the two sides should rebuild mutual trust. The AA said it would release [junta personnel] if the military releases theirs. Mutual trust can be built if the two sides release detainees,” he said. 

AA spokesman U Khaing Thukha has indicated that the ethnic armed group would be willing to consider a prisoner swap, but the regime has not yet responded to those remarks.