Junta to organise Thingyan celebration in Kyaukphyu

By Admin 02 Apr 2024

DMG Newsroom
2 April 2024, Kyaukphyu

The regime will reportedly organise this year’s Thingyan festival in Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu, where military tensions between the junta and Arakan Army (AA) are running high, on a grand scale.

The regime-appointed Kyaukphyu District Deputy Commissioner U Nay Min Thu made remarks to that effect during a coordination meeting on organising the Thingyan festival in Kyaukphyu on April 1.

“The regime will organise the Thingyan dance troupes and entertainment programmes for people at the Thingyan stages known as pandals and revelers celebrating the Thingyan festival will be served with food by the departments,” he said at the meeting, junta-controlled media reported on April 2.

At least four clashes between the military and AA were reported in Kyaukphyu in early February and military tensions between the two sides are currently running high.

Residents of Kyaukphyu are not interested in celebrating the junta-sponsored this year’s Thingyan festival, critics of the regime say.

“We all know that the regime is violating human rights. The junta-sponsored Thingyan festival will also be for subordinate communities. So this Thingyan festival is not for the locals and will have nothing to do with the locals,” said a local resident in Kyaukphyu.

Kyaukphyu residents have been suffering from shortages of food and medicine and social insecurity due to the junta’s travel restrictions since renewed fighting in Arakan State began in November of last year.

The regime plans to organise celebrations for this year’s Thingyan in Sittwe and Kyaukphyu, and locals predict that the regime will likely organise Thingyan celebrations in Thandwe, Gwa, Taungup and Manaung as well.

“There is no fighting in the junta-controlled areas. The regime will use this Thingyan to show that the local people support them and are happy,” said another Kyaukphyu resident.

The AA has seized control of Rathedaung, Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Myebon and Ramree townships in Arakan State, and Paletwa Township in neighbouring Chin State.

The AA has been stepping up offensive attacks on junta camps in Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships and fierce clashes are reported in Ann, where the military’s Western Command headquarters is located.