International advisory group urges AA to protect civilians in Maungdaw

By Admin 20 Aug 2024

DMG Newsroom
20 August 2024, Sittwe

The Arakkha Army (AA) must ensure the protection of civilians in northern Arakan State and uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law, the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) said in a statement on August 19.

The SAC-M called on the AA and its political wing, the United League of Arakan (ULA), “as the de facto authority in northern Rakhine [Arakan] state and a party to the conflict, to act immediately to protect all civilians at all times as its principal obligation under international law.” 

On August 5, “An attack on Rohingya men, women and children … may have resulted in the deaths of up to 200 people, according to credible reports. The victims were attempting to escape violent conflict between the AA and Myanmar military in Maungdaw, northern Rakhine state, and cross the Naf River into Bangladesh,” the SAC-M said. 

“Survivors and witnesses report bombs being dropped from drones, artillery fire, and soldiers shooting people with small arms. The AA has been accused of being responsible,” it added. “The recent events follow the reported large-scale, coordinated killing, arson and shelling attacks on Rohingya in Buthidaung on 17 May, which AA troops are also alleged to have committed.”   

For its part, the AA issued a statement on August 7 claiming that the ethnic armed group had nothing to do with the matter.

“SAC-M has not yet been able to determine who is responsible for the recent atrocities against the Rohingya and other civilians in northern Rakhine state,” the advisory council acknowledged. “However, it is satisfied that the AA and its political wing the United League of Arakan (ULA) are now the primary military and governance authorities in the region, having almost entirely defeated and displaced the Myanmar military.”  

The SAC-M urged the ULA/AA to cooperate fully with an independent international investigative team to enter Arakan State to investigate the treatment of Rohingya and other civilians in the state.

“In fact, it would be better to ask the ULA/AA directly to protect Muslims rather than SAC-M issuing a statement,” contended U Pe Than, a political analyst and veteran Arakanese politician.

In addition to the AA, the Myanmar military and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), and Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) are involved in clashes in Maungdaw, and residents say the situation on the ground is complicated.

“The AA has already resolved the Maungdaw incident. That’s why international groups should not pressure AA, but should also put pressure on Muslim armed organisations like ARSA and the military regime. It is important to determine the complexity of the terrain accordingly,” said a social activist in Maungdaw.

The AA has reportedly evacuated thousands of local people who were trapped by fighting between the military and AA forces in Maungdaw Town and nearby villages since August 7.

Formed in March 2021 in response to the Myanmar military’s coup a month earlier, the SAC-M describes itself as “an independent group of international human rights experts working to support the peoples of Myanmar in their fight for peace, genuine democracy, justice and accountability.”