Military orders dismantling of AA checkpoints in Rathedaung Twsp

By DMG 22 Aug 2022

DMG Newsroom
22 August 2022, Rathedaung 

The Myanmar military has reportedly told local village administrators to facilitate the removal of security checkpoints set up by the Arakan Army (AA) in Rathedaung Township’s Pyarchaunggyi village-tract.

The military summoned the village administrators via their township-level counterpart in order to deliver the directive regarding two security checkpoints in Pyarchaunggyi and Pyinkhaung villages on August 19, according to a village administrator who declined to be named.

“We were summoned by a tactical commander officer from the Myanmar military through the township administrator.  He [the tactical commander officer] told us that the commander of Western Command saw two security checkpoints during an inspection trip,” the unnamed village administrator told DMG. “He said the commander was unhappy with the AA’s security checkpoints. He wanted to tell the AA, through us, to demolish the security checkpoints.”

The source went on to say that although the military ordered the removal of the checkpoints, the AA did not dismantle them, adding to already existing tensions between the two sides.

“We dare not demolish the checkpoints. What should we do when caught between two armed organisations? Military tensions have been running high as the AA rejected the demolition of its security checkpoints. Only the two armed groups know what the situation is,” he added.

At least 1,500 local people from several Rathedaung Township villages have fled to nearby villages as they are worried about the possibility of renewed fighting between the military and AA due to escalating tensions, residents said.

“Elderly people, pregnant women and children remained in the village,” said Ko Hla Maung Yay, a resident of Awadar, one of the villages affected by the recent tensions. “We removed our belongings to safer locations as we were worried that we would not be able to get out. Middle-aged people work in the village in the daytime and return to the forest in the evening.”

Rathedaung Township administrator U Naing Htet Lin told DMG that they did not speak to village administrators specifically regarding demolition of the AA’s security checkpoints. “Except for the regular monthly meeting, we did not summon the village administrators,” he said.

DMG was unable to obtain comment from Arakan State Minister for Security and Border Affairs Colonel Kyaw Thu regarding the matter.