Vox Pop: ‘Cutting off internet access makes people blind’

https://www.dmediag.com/interview/1227-vp-cutting?fbclid=IwAR1oOgEG5g8WMQLbecZyueHQXD95e8-0aG0dIR0acLZ6DA_LQ9Md770RyTcOn June 21 last year, the Myanmar government cut off mobile internet access in eight Arakan State townships and Chin State’s Paletwa Township. 

With the internet blackout now in its ninth month, DMG interviewed human rights campaigners, civil society activists and a member of Parliament about how the shutdown has impacted the daily lives of people in the affected townships. Because many of those townships are also considered conflict zones, the human rights implications of the internet blackout was top of mind for several of the interviewees.

The interviews were compiled by freelance reporter Khaing Myat Naing, and edited for length and clarity. Some of those DMG spoke to used the word “Rohingya” but in its place “Muslim” has been used after receiving approval from individual interviewees, in accordance with DMG’s editorial policy.

Ko Myat Hein Tun (General Secretary, Arakan Students’ Union [Universities–Yangon])

It seems like the government’s internet shutdown is for the military’s sake. Cutting off internet access makes people blind. The government is deliberately obstructing our freedom of expression and rights.

It is like the government has hushed up what Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) troops have done to Arakanese people. For example, students from a school in Buthidaung Township were injured by an artillery shell fired by the Myanmar Army. People cannot access such information in a timely manner due to the internet shutdown.

Maybe the government wants to cover up what the Burmese Myanmar Army has done to Muslims. It is like not only the Muslim community but also the Arakanese community in Arakan State are being threatened now.

The government has covered up the crimes committed by the Myanmar Army and that’s why more war crimes against Arakanese people and genocide against Muslim people may occur. It has been a long time that the government has cut off internet access. As a government calling itself as a democratic government, it should not do like that. If the government itself believes it governs people equally, it should restore internet access as soon as possible.

Myanmar Army has intention to commit genocide on Arakanese people

A few days ago, at the  press conference  of Myanmar Army, Myanmar military

spokesperson Maj.Gen.Soe Naing Oo threatened to commit  genocide on Arakanese people and to crush Arakan Army.

Myanmar military spokesperson told media persons at conference that they had

been learning and gaining knowledge of how Philippine armed forces did in Marawi.

He continued to express that Philippine Armed forces used everything like jet fighters,

navy and artillery. Moreover , 90% of population of  Marawi was eliminated that he said.

So, I became to realize Myanmar Army has intention to commit genocide on Arakanese people after it had done once on Muslim Rohingya in Arakan ,western Myanmar, in 2017s.

Instead of guarding people, Myanmar Army is killing, raping and persecuting. The society and minority are being subjected the worst persecution all the time by Myanmar Army. 

In the so-called Myanmar , Army and Police are not true to their duty.

Myanmar Army is considered to be one among the worst in the world. Myanmar government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and criminal Myanmar Army are now hand in hand to commit genocide once again on Arakanese people

Arakan Army releases statement on the accusation

On these days, Myanmar Army is playing the blame game, finger pointing to Arakan Army

after it shells mortars on the villages of Muslim in northern Arakan ( western Myanmar) .The

reason why Myanmar Army blames on Arakan Army is that it is unwilling to comply decision of International Court of Justice.

Myanmar Army killed two Muslim women and injured other in northern Arakan just eight hours after ICJ passed decision on Myanmar. Moreover, Myanmar Army is still killing Arakanese women and children while it clashes with Arakan Army.  Therefore, Arakanese 24-year-old mother was killed and three men were injured when Myanmar Army fired artillery shells on urban areas of Kyauktaw Township in Arakan on Monday. The young mother was survived by a three year old son and a two month old daughter.

Myanmar Army has been conducting systematic and institutionalized oppression on young men and women in Arakan, including indiscriminate killing, arbitrary arrests, and forced relocations, since it has launched heavy military operations by combined forces of Light Infantry Division.

On February 3, 2020, our beloved Arakan Army – which is given birth to free the lost Arakan to Myanmar  from oppressive Myanmar – released rejection statement on the accusation against Arakan Army at the press conference of Myanmar Army.

( Please read the statement and please visit this Arakan Army’s site www.arakanarmy.net by clicking.)

The ICJ announcement marks a tremendous step forward for the Rohingya

• https://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/op-ed/2020/01/23/gambia-vs-myanmar-at-the-icj-what-to-expect-going-forward
• 
• The Rohingya crisis now drags on through the third year after a brutal crackdown by Myanmar security forces starting August 25, 2017. It resulted in the displacement of over 700,000 people. 
• The wheels of international justice have slowly begun to turn in response to the atrocities committed against the Rohingya. 
• A number of announcements from international justice actors in late 2019 indicate that progress will continue throughout 2020. 
• At the International Conclave on Justice and Accountability for Rohingya hosted by Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University (CPJ) in The Hague, The Netherlands on October 18, 2019, Gambian Justice Minister Abubacarr Marie Tambadou announced to the world that he had instructed his office to file genocide charges against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice. 
• Then, in November, the judges of the International Criminal Court announced that they had authorized a full investigation into whether Myanmar committed the crime against humanity of deportation. 
• And in December, a case accusing Myanmar of genocide and crimes against humanity was filed by leading Rohingya activist Tun Khin in domestic court in Argentina. This case was filed under the principle of universal jurisdiction, on the basis of which international crimes can be prosecuted outside of the country in which they were committed.
• Of all these developments, the ICJ proceedings moved forward the most quickly as Gambia petitioned the court to order that Myanmar implement a set of provisional measures to prevent any further genocidal acts from occurring. 
• Because it takes several years for a case to wind its way fully through the ICJ process, provisional measures are an initial step by which the responded state must take immediate action in regard to the alleged violation. 
• Provisional measures are granted when the court determines that there is at least a possibility that violations of international law are ongoing and recognizes that immediate action is needed to prevent the alleged crime from continuing.
• The international community watched closely as legal counsel for Gambia and Myanmar argued their cases for and against the preliminary measures over three days, from December 10 to 12, 2019. 
• Each side gave its arguments, with Aung San Suu Kyi representing Myanmar alongside a team of international legal counsel led by genocide scholar William Schabas. 
• The willingness of Nobel Peace Laureate Suu Kyi’s to lead the Myanmar team caused international uproar and was seen by many as a heartless political manoeuvre, designed to paint the case as an impingement on Myanmar’s sovereignty in advance of elections slated for later this year.
• Myanmar’s main arguments were based on a mix of outright denial, the claim that Gambia was being influenced by the OIC to pursue the case, and that Myanmar’s domestic and military justice mechanisms were capable of resolving the issue.
• Gambia presented an overview of extensive documentation of the long-standing persecution of the Rohingya and the genocidal acts committed against them, including mass killings and sexual violence.
• Ultimately, the ICJ judges found Gambia’s argument more compelling. Asserting its power to try the case and noting Myanmar’s obligation to comply with the 1948 Genocide Convention, the judges unanimously granted four provisional measures.
• First and foremost, Myanmar has been ordered to take all steps within its power to prevent acts that contribute to the crime of genocide as specified under Article 2 of the Genocide Convention.
• Second, Myanmar must ensure that its military, as well as any paramilitary or irregular armed units, do not commit the above acts either. 
• Third, Myanmar must preserve all evidence, such as mass graves, village sites and all other sites and items that will need to be reviewed during future investigations. 
• Finally, Myanmar as well as Gambia must report back to the court within four months that it has complied with the measures. As long as the case is open, Myanmar must continue to report its compliance with the provisional measures every six months.
• The provisional measures are technically binding; if Myanmar fails or refuses to comply, the matter will be referred to the UN Security Council. 
• In the absence of a straightforward enforcement mechanism, it remains to be seen if -- and the extent to which -- Myanmar will comply with the measures, and what can be done if they do not. 
• While Myanmar will face tremendous pressure to follow the provisional measures, the Security Council members to which the matter will be referred include China and Russia, which have both taken stances against international accountability measures.
• Ultimately, the ICJ’s announcement marked a tremendous step forward for the Rohingya and signified the first semblance of justice for their plight. 
• Refugees in the camps of Cox’s Bazar are celebrating and hoping the measures bring quick protection to their loved ones remaining in Rakhine State.
• Manzoor Hasan is Executive Director and Jessica Olney is Visiting Researcher, Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of Brac University.

Myanmar Army kills Arakanese ten month old boy

Arakanese mother of a ten month old boy told local media that her son was shot dead by

Myanmar soldiers on January 11, 2020 while her family was fleeing from Nyaung Kan village of Myebon Township to Paw Taung village of Mrauk U Township by small motor boat.

The poor Arakanese mother along with almost all villagers and her husband and her son desperately had to flee when Myanmar soldiers shelled on their village by supersonic jet fighters after clashes with Arakan Army.

By the time poor Arakanese mother with her husband and son approached Oun Taw village of Minbra Township, Myanmar soldiers, from the small river bank, indiscriminately opened fire them. One of bullet went through her ten month old baby boy from back to belly causing to protrude intestine.  Even if the couple waved their big and round hats - made of thatch - from motor boat at Myanmar soldiers to recognize them as an innocent family and villagers, Myanmar soldiers shot at them indiscriminately.

As soon as ten month old baby boy was unfortunately shot by Myanmar soldiers, the couple

rush out of scene to nearby medical central but the boy was killed instantly. It is learn that Myanmar Army is killing Arakanese people including children and women almost everyday in the lost Arakan to Myanmar( western Myanmar) after Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi directed her notorious and barbarous Myanmar Army ‘s chief Min Aung Haling to launch

military operation against the Arakan Army – which is given birth to free Arakan from Myanmar by Arakanese people – one year ago.

Now, Myanmar Army has been launching military operation against the Arakan Army for over one year. During the period of over one year, 180 people were killed by Myanmar Army and injured 260 and over 500 arrested so far.

Myanmar air force bombs position of Arakan Army

No sooner had Aung San Suu Kyi instructed her notorious and barbarous Myanmar Army

to launch military operation against the Arakan Army in the lost Arakan to Myanmar( western Myanmar), than Myanmar Army started to kill Arakanese people by shooting, beheading and committing arson.

Since then, there were over 180 people who were killed by Myanmar Army and injured 260 and over 500 arrested so far in Arakan. Moreover, over 100,000 Arakanese people were forced to be Internally Displaced Persons. These IDPs are taking refuge at IDP camps without sufficient food, shelter and cloth.

The reason why IDPs face insufficient food, shelter and cloth is that Myanmar Army and Government are blocking all donors and organizations to access therefore donors and organizations cannot approach IDP camps to assist IDPs.

Meanwhile, Myanmar Army is still launching its offensive military attacks against the Arakan Army without care of children and without care of women, shooting into villages, killing and arresting villagers  everyday.

On the eve of Xmas and New Year, Myanmar air force‘s three helicopters and supersonic jet fighters  strafed rockets and bombs position of Arakan Army on the mountain in Buthitaung Township in Arakan. So, villagers are just to flee from their villages to nearby places, rising number of Internally Displaced Persons up to over 100,000 across the Northern Arakan.

Aung San Suu Kyi lets her Army to kill Arakanese people

It was the sound of bullets of Myanmar troop that stamped bloody killing at the Satetara

village of oppressed Arakanese people in northern Arakan(western Myanmar) while

Myanmar or Burmese were standing with Aung San Suu Kyi who defended Myanmar’s

genocide before the International Court of Justice.

Myanmar Army killed five Arakanese people and hurt 19 others between December 8 and December 14, 2019 and abducted 10 Arakanese people.

Now, the offensive attacks against the Arakan Army launched by Myanmar Army in Arakan(western Myanmar) had been over one year. During the period of over one year, after Myanmar’s stained leader Aung San Suu Kyi called for her war criminal  Myanmar Army  to launch operation against the Arakan Army in northern Arakan,  her barbarous killer Myanmar Army killed 190 Arakanese people and injured 270 and 470 arrested so far.

Moreover, there are over 100,000 Internally Displaced Persons across the northern Arakan without sufficient shelters and food and Myanmar government is still blocking humanitarian aid. So, IDPs cannot be provided help by organizations. Consequently and as a result, IDPs  are  suffering from many kinds of difficulties .

Myanmar is still killing weaker Arakanese people

After Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi landed The Netherlands to confront Gambia – which filed Rohingya genocide case against Myanmar at International Court of Justice in The Hague –

Myanmar Army is still committing crimes against the weaker Arakanese people in western Myanmar. Just before Aung San Suu Kyi left for International Court of Justice, her war criminal

Myanmar Army murdered Arakanese boy who was a grade three student. When the boy returned from school, stationary Myanmar troop near the his village shot him five times in his abdomen.

At the same time, village elder men were kicked on head and chest with military 

Youths from his village were also pounded with butt of gun and were inserted with muzzle of gun on chest.  When Myanmar Army left village on the same day, they abducted five villagers away with them. The family members of abductees were also in lament. No Myanmar Officer holds accountable and responsible. 

  

Despite of Gambia’s Lawsuit Against Myanmar, Ethnic Cleansing Campaign Persisting in Rakhine

Sittway. 24 Nov. 2019 

Chan Thein Maung, 48, killed by artillery shell fired by Myanmar army. Family giving last respect.
https://www.arakan.news/2019/11/despite-of-gambias-lawsuit-against.html

Myanmar army has arrested 45 villagers, killed 2 men, and wounded 5 in Rakhine State between November 11 and 22. The massive arrest of civilians happened 10 days after Gambia filed Rohingya genocide case against Myanmar at International Court of Justice (ICJ). 

Myanmar government responded Gambia Aung San Suu Kyi would defend the case. 

Analysists warn she is part of the problem because she previously denied all accounts of UN and cooperation. Therefore, her representation at the ICJ is not very much helpful. 

The behavior of Myanmar leaders does not change any respect of human rights and prevention of further violation of international humanitarian laws. Their habit of blanket denial and cruel attitude toward other races and religions is main factors of crimes against humanity. 

To live or exist on the earth

Due to offensive military operation of Myanmar Army against the Arakan Army in

the lost Arakan to Myanmar nowadays,  Arakanese people including pregnant women and children are being subjected to kill by Myanmar soldiers. Moreover, religious monks were also taken away without letting people to know whereabouts them by infidel Myanmar soldiers.

On November 10, at 9 AM, in Myebon Township, Arakan (western Myanmar), there

was Yaw Chaung small river in which Arakanese pregnant woman and her husband

were traveling to sell their shoal of fish by small boat.

From the bank of river, Myanmar soldiers shot at them. Poor pregnant woman named

U khin Than, 32 and her husband U Maung Hla Aye were hit bullets from gunshots.

Unfortunately, poor Arakanese pregnant woman was killed while bullet went through the

left breast of her and came out of her back. Meanwhile, another bullet perforated her husband’s thigh.

Two months ago, a religious monk and two people were taken away by Myanmar soldiers

in Arakanese ancient city of Mrauk U.  Nobody could know whereabouts of Monk and two men.When family members approached a puppet local government to let them know whereabouts of monk and two men, chief minister U Nyi Pu falsified that they were in good health and detained. So, people started to believe after two months that monk and two men were killed.

So far as I know, during the period of almost one year, after Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi instructed her barbarous Myanmar Army to crush Arakan Army in the lost Arakan to Myanmar(western Myanmar) , there are 180 Arakanese people who are killed by Myanmar soldiers and injured 250 and 440 arrested so far.

Arakanese people and its beloved Arakan Army must overcome this barbarous Myanmar Army so that circumstance of  current the lost Arakan to Myanmar will sustain Arakanese people to live or exist on the earth.