AA touts ethnic outreach as it looks to govern, rebuild Arakan State

By Admin 14 Jun 2024

DMG Newsroom
14 June 2024, Sittwe

The Arakkha Army (AA) has said that respective ethnic groups and tribes have been assigned to carry out administrative and rehabilitation activities in the areas controlled by the ethnic armed group.

U Khaing Thukha, spokesman for the AA, said at an online press conference on June 8 that a tribal affairs committee had been formed for the people living in Arakan State, and they have been assigned regional positions in carrying out administrative and rehabilitation activities.

“Respective tribes have been appointed for administration and rehabilitation in areas inhabited by Muslims and other tribes,” he explained.

The AA announced that it has provided humanitarian assistance to residents who have been displaced by fighting between its forces and Myanmar’s military regime, regardless of race or religion.

Despite the gestures toward outreach and empowering Arakan State’s diverse ethnic peoples within the AA’s administrative apparatus, there is talk that more is needed on the ground.

“I see the AA has [provided] a lot of humanitarian aid to people displaced by fighting. However, in the areas where AA does administrative work, it seems that there is still little room for tribes,” said an ethnic Thet man.

Thousands of people including ethnic Mro, Khami, Daingnet, Thet and Arakanese have been displaced by fighting in Kyauktaw, Buthidaung, Maungdaw and Ponnagyun townships, and many of the IDPs are in need of humanitarian assistance.

About 100 ethnic Khami people from Ingyinmyaing Village in Buthidaung Township were displaced by clashes and are currently taking shelter in Kyauktaw Township.

“We face livelihood hardships and we rely on relief items provided by the AA,” said a Khami man. “We will face more difficulties in the long run. We need proper shelters and we cannot buy food items due to rising commodity prices.”

The AA has stated that its political goal is not secession from Myanmar, but rather a confederate path of self-determination.