Over 100 students join junta-sponsored maritime courses in Arakan State

By Admin 29 Apr 2023

DMG Newsroom
29 April 2023, Sittwe

The Myanmar Navy has launched basic and higher-level maritime training courses for basic education students at its naval bases in Arakan State’s Sittwe and Kyaukphyu townships.

A total of 111 students, both male and female, are attending the training during their summer holidays. The training was launched on April 24, according to the junta. Fifty trainees are being trained at the naval base in Kyaukphyu, and 61 others in Sittwe.

“The course is intended to transfer extensive maritime knowledge to students during their summer holidays so as to turn out a younger generation of youths with mastery in maritime skills for the sake of Myanmar,” junta media reported.

“The trainees are Grade 9 and Grade 10 students. I think the course lasts for a month,” said Arakan State Administration Council spokesman U Hla Thein. “They will also have to visit Yangon. They don’t need to serve [in the Navy]. It is just training for students to have experience in the Navy. The course is called maritime youth training.”

However, critics allege that the regime will use the trainees as necessary in its multi-front war as it is fighting ethnic armed organisations and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) across the country.

“The training is being conducted by the military, and it is a military training. Instructors will try to convince the trainees that they are fighting to defend the country, and that ethnic armed organisations are a danger to the country. The military is just trying to take advantage of students in the civil war,” said veteran Arakanese politician U Pe Than.

Nationwide, a total of 712 students are attending the junta’s maritime training at 11 naval bases across multiple regions and states.

It has been around five months since an informal ceasefire was reached between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army in Arakan State. The regime has reinforced its troop positions and carried out military drills in Arakan State in the months since, according to locals.