AA offers fighting words for ALP in wake of Sittwe village massacre 

By Admin 08 Jun 2024

DMG Newsroom
8 June 2024, Sittwe

The Arakkha Army (AA) said during a press conference on Saturday that it would “crush” the Arakan Liberation Party/Arakan Liberation Army (ALP/ALA) led by Saw Mra Razar Lin for tormenting Arakanese people hand in glove with Myanmar’s military regime.

Responding to a DMG reporter’s question, AA spokesman U Khaing Thukha spoke in stark terms: “The AA will continue to implement its policy that there must be only one armed group, the AA founded by the ULA [United League of Arakan], in Arakan State. We would crush anyone cooperating with the enemy [regime],” said U Khaing Thukha.

The two rival organisations have a long-running and increasingly consequential feud, with the ALP on multiple occasions accusing the AA of assassinating its leaders.

The ALP led by Saw Mra Razar Lin is based in Sittwe’s Set Yone Su Ward, and has joined every round of peace talks with the regime since the 2021 coup.

One Arakan State resident said: “As the ALP is based in Sittwe, the fight between the two is inevitable when the AA attacks Sittwe. It is interesting to see which side the ALP will take.”

Locals and the AA have accused the ALP of joining junta soldiers in their massacre in Sittwe Township’s Byaing Phyu Village late last month. The ALP has denied involvement.

ALP general secretary Major Khaing Thurein told CNI news agency that the ALP has braced itself for attacks in volatile Arakan State.

The AA has seized nine townships in Arakan State, as well as Paletwa Township in neighbouring Chin State, since launching an offensive in mid-November. It has most recently been attacking Maungdaw, Thandwe and Ann townships. It has also announced a planned attack on Sittwe, the seat of the junta’s administration in Arakan State, telling residents to flee the town.