Student unions press for commission to probe civilian deaths in Arakan

By Hnin Nwe 18 Feb 2020

Hnin Nwe | DMG
February 18, Yangon

Three student unions have demanded the formation of an independent, international investigative commission to uncover who was responsible for civilian deaths during months of fighting between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State.

Among other incidents described as collateral damage in the ongoing conflict, artillery fire hit a Buthidaung Township village school on February 13, injuring 21 students. Both the Tatmadaw and the AA have denied responsibility for the shelling.

But following those denials, the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, Arakan Students Union and Arakan Students Union (Universities – Yangon) on February 15 urged the government to form a commission to probe that tragedy and others.

“We feel that both groups don’t have accountability and don’t take responsibility. Nobody has taken responsibility for the children who were hit by the shell. Both groups blame each other. That’s why we want to form a commission to get international attention,” Ko Myat Hein Tun, secretary of the Arakan Student Union (Universities – Yangon), told DMG.

He added that an investigation would help reveal who was responsible for the artillery fire and could help to reduce civilian casualties in future.

“The international community will know how much the people in Arakan State suffer. It will be made clear what both groups have done,” Ko Myat Hein Tun said.

The student groups noted that the government has shut down mobile internet access in several conflict-affected townships in Arakan State, with journalists consequently facing difficulties gathering information freely. Human rights violations will worsen if such a commission is not formed to investigate the situation, they argued.

The unions also demanded that local and international media be allowed to travel freely in conflict zones to facilitate transparency.

Fighting between the Tatmadaw and the AA has persisted for more than a year in Arakan State.

More than 130 civilians have been killed and over 360 wounded by artillery fire, landmine blasts and gunshots, according to the Arakan Student Union (Universities – Yangon).