ANP condemns junta over fatal shellings of civilians in Arakan State

By DMG 29 Sep 2022

DMG Newsroom
29 September 2022, Sittwe 

The Arakan National Party (ANP) has condemned the Myanmar military for recent artillery attacks that have resulted in civilian casualties and damage to several houses in Arakan State. 

“There have been civilian casualties in villages, which should not be a military target,” said U Tha Tun Hla, chairman of the ANP, which enjoyed popular support among Arakanese people in democratic times. 

The code of conduct for military personnel requires them to protect the lives and property of civilians, and not to destroy or damage them, U Tha Tun Hla noted. 

In a statement on Thursday, the ANP urged the warring groups not to make use of residential areas either to take cover from or attack the other side. The statement also called on the Myanmar military to lift its travel ban on local and international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) providing humanitarian aid to internally displaced people (IDPs) in Arakan State. 

Myanmar’s military regime on September 15 ordered local and international NGOs to halt humanitarian aid operations in six townships amid rising military tensions in the region. It has also denied residents the ability to travel via roads and waterways in several parts of the state.  

“As a result, local people can’t get vital items including medicines and food. This will ultimately make it difficult for locals to survive,” said U Tha Tun Hla, echoing concern expressed in the ANP statement for the wellbeing of civilians amid the conflict. 

DMG was unable to obtain comment from junta spokesman Major-General Zaw Min Tun concerning the Arakanese ethnic political party’s statement. Former senior ANP leader Daw Aye Nu Sein, who now sits on the junta’s administrative body, the State Administration Council (SAC), also could not be reached. 

At least six civilians were killed and more than 25 have been injured in the renewed armed conflict in Arakan State since August, and about 9,000 people have been recently displaced by the fighting.