School in Maungdaw Twsp village closed due to military presence

By Admin 25 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
25 August 2023, Maungdaw

A primary school in Gyitchaung Village, part of Arakan State’s Maungdaw Township, has been closed due to a military presence in the area, according to locals.

Around 100 junta soldiers, who have been stationed near the village since 2022, were deployed at the school and some homes in the village on August 21.

“Dozens of junta soldiers have been stationed at the village’s school since five days ago. The children did not go to school for about five days,” a resident of Gyitchaung Village who declined to be named for security reasons told DMG.

There are 60 households with more than 400 people in Gyitchaung Village and the school enrolls 91 students. 

“Children in our village have been weak in education since the beginning. If the school continues to be closed like this, the situation could get worse,” said the parent of one student.

Thirteen people were killed and more than 30 people were injured when artillery shells fired by junta troops at Kyeinchaung Village landed and exploded in Gyitchaung Village on November 16, 2022, amid renewed conflict in Arakan State.

The recent troop repositioning in the village has local residents on edge. 

“Locals dare not go to their farmlands and are worried that the fighting will resume. Previously, junta soldiers camped near the village, but left the villager later. The junta soldiers last time fired mortar shells into the village when they left the village,” said a local man from Gyitchaung Village.

The junta and Arakan Army (AA) reached their latest informal ceasefire, on humanitarian grounds, more than nine months ago. Politicians have criticised junta troops’ deployment at schools and religious buildings during a time of ceasefire.

“Junta soldiers are often stationed at religious, education and health facilities. Junta troops should not be deployed at a school during the ceasefire,” said U Aung Thaung Shwe, a former Arakan State lawmaker.

DMG phoned Arakan State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Kyaw Thura regarding the issue, but he could not be reached.