Arakan Army Spokesperson Khine Thu Kha said, “Myanmar army is definitely committing war crimes and crimes against humanity

Every civilian of Arakan ─except Muslims  who also pray to Allah ─ pray to Lord Buddha for an end  to their suffering from invading Myanmar Army which is killing and beheading people of Arakan every day after Myanmar Army and Myanmar government announced to conduct clearance operations in the lost northern Arakan to Myanmar.

The criminal Myanmar before the ICJ Court ignores what the ICJ sentences it to comply with genocide case versus the Rohingya and it is also daring to commit genocide again on Arakan origin who are suffering from any angle of oppressive Myanmar since Myanmar or Burma occupied Arakan very much cruelly.

Myanmar soldiers shot and killed 7 villagers during the custody and detained 6 more civilians in Kyauk Tan last May. The lawless killing sparked international and national human rights organizations’ criticism, Arakan News Site writes.

Arakan News continues to write on it site that Arakan Army spokesperson Mr.Khaing Thu Kha who depicts how Myanmar army commits war crimes and crimes against humanity in Arakan are as follows:

Arakan Army Spokesperson Khine Thu Kha said, “Myanmar army is definitely committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. 

He said, “During this high time of Covid-19 pandemic, governments all over the world are encouraging their people for homestays, but Myanmar colonial government forces to evict the Rakhine people out of their homes while the air force, navy, and ground troops are targeting and killing the civilians in order to clear all villagers from their homes.”

Mr.Khine Thu Kha said, “International communities should take drastic actions against the Myanmar government and the army for ruthless military operations against the Arakan and non-Burma ethnic people when they are facing Covid-19 threat. Otherwise, the military is continuing repeated war crimes and crimes against humanity on the Rakhine or Arakan  and non-Burman ethnic people as they have been doing these kinds of atrocities for over 70 years.” 

“There is no domestic law to protect Arakan and non-Burma ethnic people for assaulting war crimes and crimes against humanity. Myanmar government is accommodating its Army’s war crimes, criminals over and over as sponsor of state terrorism. It will never end.”

He urges, “International laws should be applied, and international communities and the world bodies should bring the perpetrators to justice once for all,” he said. 

The Burmese or Myanmar racist invading army stationing in the religious complex after they have destroyed the Arakanese ancestral and historical heritages Part (2)

This video clip shows again how Myanmar racist invading army stations and vandalizes the Arakanese ancestral heritage pagodas in the lost Arakan to Myanmar while internet communication is still being banned shutdown for exactly over one year right now in entire northern Arakan to cover-up war crimes and crimes against humanity by Burmese regime and Burmese Army. Moreover, the invader Myanmar or Burma to Arakan everyday kills civilians of Arakan by shooting, beheading and stabbing cruelly.

The Burmese or Myanmar racist invading army stationing in the religious complex of Arakan Part -1

The Burmese or Myanmar racist invading army stationing in the religious complex after they have destroyed the Arakanese ancestral and historical heritages

Part-1

17 June 2020

This video clip shows the images of military exercises by the troops wearing sport trousers from a battalion of Myanmar Army under the command of No.44th Light Infantry Division on 8 and 9 June 2020 that is permanently stationed on the Pagoda of Thin-Gijt-Taw mountain in Mrauk-U township of Arakan.

The Thin-Gijt-Taw Pagoda, built on the top of the 500ft height Thin-Gijt-Taw mountain, lies 5 miles away from North of Mrauk-U. It was built in the East of Pauk Taw Pyin village. Some troops from the battalions under the command of No.44th Light Infantry Division have been destroying the Arakanese ancestral and historical heritages by not only digging bunkers on the platform around the Pagoda but also building stronghold in the Pagoda compound. 

It has been not only long time but also several times, the Burmese racist invading army (Tatmadaw) has been deliberately destroying the Arakanese ancestral and historical heritages as a hallmark of foreign invaders to carry out sabotage acts, since their scorched-earth campaign and sea-land-air joint operations against civilians of Arakan have been launched. 

For instance, after the creation of a phony war on 19 March 2019 the Burmese racist invading armed forces launched a major attack with heavy and light weapons into the Pagodas of the Arakanese ancestral and historical heritages in Mrauk-U, the capital city of the Kingdom of Arakan, which can be recognized as a World Heritage Site. Artillery shells fell and exploded near the monastery and pagoda, causing damage to the temple. The 540th Light Infantry Battalion of Myanmar Army based in Mrauk-U, the artillery base on the Shwe mountain, the Police Battalion in Mrauk-U and Police stations launched attacks across Mrauk-U town without a single battle. Our organization had already released a statement numbered 7/2019 concerning this sabotage act.

For many months in the year of 2019, the Burmese racist invading troops had used monasteries, schools and civilian-properties and stationed in San-Gar-Taung village, Nan-Yone-Taung village, Shut-Shar-Taung village, U-Yan-Thar village, the Sin-Thi-Pyin village and on the platform of 31-Bun Historic Pagoda built in the San-Gar-Taung village in Buthidaung township. They were not merely stationing in the places but also launching indiscriminate attacks that hit and caused damage to the 31-Bun pagoda. In addition, cracks appeared in the Pagoda due to the vibrations of artillery shelling. This sabotage act was committed by battalions under the 22th Light Infantry Division. 

For so many times, the Burmese racist invading army has launched artillery strikes, filled with full of racial hatred, on local inhabitants day and night not only at the time of fighting but also at the time of no fighting from their battalion headquarter, tactical command base, artillery bases, police battalions and the mobilizing frontline columns.

The Myanmar armed forces are using religious complex, ancient and historic pagodas, temples, entrances, monasteries and schools as their military posts, artillery bases and garrisons in the war zone and regions such as Ann, MinBya, Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Kyauk-Taw and Mrauk-U townships. Their use of cultural property and acts of hostility directed against the historic heritage sites and places of worship constitute a grave breach of the Geneva Convention and the law of war. 

As a transparent and responsible organization fighting for innate political rights for all peoples in Arakan, the ULA/AA will impart concrete evidence of war crimes committed by the Myanmar armed forces to international organizations. The general public of Arakan is also requested to send information to the nearest members of our organization if you have evidence and documents of war crimes committed by the Myanmar Army.

Info-Desk

Arakan Army

Arakan Army's a press briefing to the International Community

A press briefing to the International Community concerning the ramp-up of the killing of civilians by Myanmar armed forces in their punitive scorched-earth campaign with four-cuts doctrine in Arakan

The Burmese racist invading army has ramped up their campaign of firing and shelling with heavy and light weapons into the Arakanese towns and villages according to the hallmark of colonial invaders filled with full of racial hatred. It can be said that this is one of the brazenly lawless and sabotage acts of Myanmar Army that has been conducting its scorched-earth campaign with four-cuts doctrine in Arakan. Detail documentation of their horrendous atrocities in Arakan will be released later.

The Myanmar armed forces have been killing civilians of Arakan by firing, shelling and bombing from local light infantry battalions, artillery battalions, their tactical command bases, police battalions, Navy ships, military helicopters and fighter jets day and night. They have blatantly stepped up their genocidal attacks targeting civilians and villages during the time of legal proceedings before the International Court of Justice to find out whether Myanmar has breached the genocide convention. This implies Myanmar Army has brazenly committed fresh war crimes.

The racist Burmese armed forces (Tatmadaw) have always provided the justification of their attacks that they were shooting back to the Arakan Army’s assault or fighting occurring whenever they had fired into the villages. Such responses confess itself that there was no fighting but the Myanmar Army was deliberately firing with heavy and light weapons into the villages. As the cunning nature of the Burmese racist invaders, the Burmese armed forces are just implementing their wipe-out policy in the territories of non-Bamar peoples.

Similarly, the Arakan based battalions of Myanmar Army along the roads have been not only shooting and killing civilian travelers but also firing and shelling with heavy and light weapons from the Navy ships into the Arakanese villages along the river banks. The death toll and injuries are rising due to such barbaric attacks.

As a recent example, without any fighting in the area No.539 Light Infantry Battalion of Myanmar Army based in Kyauk-Taw has ruthlessly fired and shot with heavy and light weapons into A-Pauk-Wa village in Kyauk-Taw township at 13:12 pm on 10 June 2020, in which a civilian was injured. In a similar vein, at 15:37 pm on 10 June 2020 the artillery battalion of Myanmar Army based in Lin-Mwe mountain has inhumanely fired over twelve times of shelling towards a funeral service gathering in Late-Sen-Pyin village of Mrauk-U township that is located in 2 km away from that artillery battalion.

An 85 year-old woman was killed and other three women and one man were injured by artillery shelling from a Navy ship of Myanmar Army that hit the Amyint-Gyun village of Sittwe township at 00:20 am on 11 June 2020. After entering into the downtown of Ponnagyun, No. 550 Light Infantry Battalion based in Ponnagyun has carried out firing and killing of innocent civilians, shootings to terrorize civilian-residents, accusing their killed victims as revolutionaries with false charges and fabricated evidence, threatening public with their arms, and the siege of the whole town by taking inhabitants as hostages.

On the other hand, in the use of state-owned media and military-backed newspapers that are publishing false news, fabricated information, biased news, and omitted news the Burmese racist regime and the Burmese Army have been conducting a systemic propaganda to defame and discredit our organization in international. In addition, some Myanmar military mouthpiece and backed media in Myanmar are doing public grievances not to be highlighted on media but to be waned while covering up serious human rights violations and war crimes committed by the Myanmar armed forces.

The Burmese regime and its military have blocked media, restricted media agencies, threatened journalists, banned news and punished journalists not to uncover true information. Media blackout is still imposed that the state-owned media and social media such as Facebook are not only under the control of the Burmese authorities but the internet shutdown also remains for year-long. The truth about inside Arakan has vanished into darkness because the Myanmar Army has in a devious way blocked international and national media agencies not to access genuine facts from Arakan.

The Burmese regime headed by Aung San Suu Kyi and the Burmese Army have continued the spread of disinformation, rally of fabricated information, and unwarranted accusations. They are also attempting everyday to unjustifiably shift the blame on other organizations while covering up war crimes committed by the Myanmar Army. By sending false information to neighboring countries, the Burmese authorities are also trying to denigrate and disparage the Arakanese people and our organization to face serious crises. Therefore, neighboring countries and the international community are requested to believe fabricated information and misrepresentation of facts provided by the Burmese authorities after making sound judgements.

Local residents, IDPs, and refugees who have fled their homes in fear of the atrocities of Myanmar armed forces are facing the shortages of basic goods such as rice, cooking oil, salts and medicines by the four-cuts campaign of Myanmar Army. The situation can become the worst humanitarian crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic and monsoon season. This right catastrophe is only made by the four-cuts operation of Myanmar Army, not related to our struggle for humanity.

The Myanmar Army is injecting fear into the general public of Arakan by conducting the acts of state-terrorism while carrying out extra-judicial killing of civilians of Arakan in various ways. Therefore, the international community and civilized nations are hereby respectfully informed about the punitive scorched-earth campaign with four-cuts doctrine conducted by the Myanmar armed forces that is targeted to wipeout the whole population of Arakan, aimed to pose existential threat to civilization of Arakan and intended to commit genocidal crimes in Arakan.

Info-Desk

Arakan Army

The oppressed civilians of Arakan do not want to wait for repelling Myanmar regime and its Army

Why Large Myanmar military buildup in the lost Arakan to Myanmar nowadays to fight  

Arakan Army  ─ which is gradually dominating the lost northern Arakan to Myanmar ─   is that Arakan Army is aiming to occupy entire its ancestral Northern Arakan of the lost Arakan to Myanmar in this raining season.

So, Myanmar  is systematic, deliberate, and coordinately destroying Arakan community as innovative destruction military pattern. 

The pattern the analyst terms is ruin, removed, permanent injury, and destroying existing structures in the society including economic, culture, and religion. 

Realizing this fact, Arakan Army has proved by killing large number of Myanmar troops, seizer of Myanmar police stations, Myanmar artillery bases, a Myanmar military school, and small military outposts, and even extending its troop to the south.

The oppressed civilians of Arakan under the invader Myanmar’s rule do not want to wait to

see occupation of Arakan Army and repelling Myanmar Army and brutal Myanmar regime from Arakan because they are being killed, injured, disappeared by Myanmar, and people of Arakan are poorer, insecurity, fear, uncertainty, malnutrition, starvation, uneducated, lower child mortality rate, unhealthy, and waiting to die. 

Press release of the United League of Arakan / Arakan Army

Press release of an ultimatum demanding “the total and immediate withdrawal of the administrative apparatus of the Burmese regime and all Burmese armed forces from Arakan”

United League of Arakan/Arakan Army, which was formed comprising of all peoples of Arakan and ethnic minorities with the aims for the liberation of the entire oppressed population of Arakan from the Burmese colonial occupation and misrule, the right of national equality and self-determination, the regaining of national losses and entitlements of the Arakanese, and the emergence of a new society of Arakan which is secure, peace, developed, free and dignified, has been implementing the Arakanese national goal in line with “the Way of Rakhita”.

It is hereby notified that no armed forces of the Burmese regime in Arakan shall be accepted by the ULA/AA. Myanmar Police Force and Border Guard Forces, which are under the control and subdivisions of the Myanmar Military under the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services , have been collaborating to carry out operations support activities for the Myanmar Army’s offensive attacks against the Arakan Army, arbitrary detention and torture of civilians of Arakan in the four-cuts campaign of the Myanmar Army. This is an ultimatum that all Burmese armed forces must be undertaken the total and immediate withdrawal from Arakan because they are not providing the general public of Arakan any legal protections but oppressing peoples and abusing power to detain civilians.

The United League of Arakan/Arakan Army, hand in hand with the entire population of Arakan, will also abolish and drive the colonial administrative apparatus of the Burmese regime and the war criminals Burmese armed forces out of Arakan. The Arakan Army has launched a warning attack against one of the Border Guard Forces of the Burmese regime, Thazin Myaing outpost, in Rathedaung township at 02:05 am on 29 May 2020. In fact, the Thazin Myaing outpost is a military stronghold under the banner of Border Guard Forces, from which the Burmese troops have been shelling villages and launching offensive assaults. The decisive action we have taken against it is also a retaliation that last a few days ago the Myanmar Army conducted the raid with excessive forces on our small outpost and another small camp where our injured troops are receiving medical treatment. Some ammunitions were seized and six members of the Burmese armed group were captured as prisoners of war. Two women and a 2-year-old child were released in good shape in a secure place after each were given 40,000 Kyats.

The United League of Arakan/Arakan Army has refrained from harming civilians, women and children, the elderly, and handicapped in this national liberation struggle. Despite being a revolutionary organization, we strictly comply with laws of war. Therefore, in accordance with international humanitarian laws we are taking care of prisoners of war, who were captured in the battles, at our best. In the same way, we have released non-military persons several times irrespective of religion and race under safe circumstances.

Sometimes we summoned and interrogated some profligate informers trained by the Myanmar Army, obstructers against the Arakan Army, those who are threatening life of people of Arakan and Arakanese traitors. But we used to release unsuspicious persons from such investigations under mutually safe circumstances. We have already conveyed U Soe Thu Win, a rural health worker, from Zee-Tan-Kone village in Rathedaung township to the hands of elders of the community and village administrators in school of Ngwe-Taung village in Buthidaung township in good shape at 6:00 am on 29 May 2020 after a few days of the investigation.

The entire population of Arakan are yearning for the total and immediate withdrawal of the colonial administrative apparatus of the Burmese regime and all Burmese armed forces from Arakan in believing that national reconciliation among all peoples in the region of Arakan, regional stability, development, freedom and peace will be genuinely possible only when there are no Burmese rule and its armed forces presence in Arakan. Therefore, international families should help our struggle for humanity. The fact that people of Arakan are not willing to see any armed forces of the Burmese regime including the Myanmar Army which has been conducting a campaign of state genocide based on racial hatred against peoples of Arakan, other minorities and even the civil servants who are pillars of the Burmese colonial rule, the Burmese authorities must go back to their native land peacefully with their own conscience in consideration of long-term prospects for mutual interests.

United League of Arakan/Arakan Army

Myanmar Army sets Lakka village on fire in Arakan

On May 16, 2020, at 1:45 PM, Myanmar Army again set Arakanese village of Lakka in Mrauk U Township on fire after it had done similar criminal deed just one week ago to Nga Sa Yin Chaung village in Minbya Township in the lost Arakan to Myanmar(western Myanmar).

Light Infantry Battalion 337 based in Mrauk U and Light Infantry Division 55 reinforced from beyond the Arakan or Myanmar regions   - total over sixty   -  entered into Lakka village after  they atrociously persecuted villagers in the nearby village of Tin Nyo.

While Myanmar soldiers entered into Lakka village, they fired gunshots indiscriminately to every house in the village and then set entire village on fire.

U Tha Sein , who is Mrauk U Township lawmaker , confirmed this war crime committed by Myanmar Army. He told media that he saw the Lakka village which was engulfed in flames and he was also reported by villagers that Myanmar soldiers set their village on fire.

No firefighter and fire engine was appearing to extinguish because they are not allowed to come for extinguishing by brutal Myanmar soldiers. There are over 400 houses in Lakka village and it has a population of two thousands. But villagers were to flee their village to nearby Internally Displaced Persons’ Camps after Myanmar Army threatened to kill them.  

Almost every house in the village of Nga Taug Tu chay in Rathitaung Township also were set fire on May 4, 2020 by brutal criminal Myanmar soldiers and the entire village of Tinma in Kyauktaw Township too was set on fire in March this year. There were over 500 houses in Tinma village which were burnt to ground by Myanmar soldiers.

Myanmar Army is still not complying any International Laws and Humanitarian Laws. It is still committing crimes and war crimes against the humanity in the lost Arakan to Myanmar even if the world leaders and UN Secretary General urge warring parties across the world to cease their fighting in support of the bigger battle against the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The powerful landmine abandoned by Myanmar Army killed two children and injured a girl in Arakan

The very powerful landmine abandoned by Myanmar Army in the Tharaoak village in Buthitaung Township in northern Arakan  killed two Muslim children  and injured a girl on May 12, 2020. Six months ago, all villagers from Tharaoak village had already fled their village because of clashes between the Myanmar Army and Arakan Army.

Since then, Myanmar Army stations in the village often and it cut some trees and bushes around the village so that it can clearly see the village from nearby Saidain Bridge where it has military post.

From nearby villages of Tharaoak village, Muslim children used to gather to collect firewood which remained in Tharaoak village after Myanmar soldiers cut trees and left them and the children also used to pluck mango fruits from remaining mango trees in the village.

Unfortunately, a boy, aged 11, and two girls, aged 10 and 8 , respectively, were killed  and injured by landmine left by Myanmar Army in the village. The entire one leg of the boy was blown up and a girl, aged 10, whose head was opened in the blast. Another girl, aged 8, was critically injured.

Villagers believe that Myanmar Army intentionally is planting powerful landmine in the village to kill or wound its enemy by the time they approach  the village.

Irresponsible Myanmar Army nowadays intensifies its killings and arrestings on the civilians of Arakan after declaring ceasefire in all regions except in the lost Arakan to Myanmar.

Three Rohingyas Muslim critically injured by Myanmar Army

Three civilians of Arakan in northern Arakan were injured on May 11, 2020 by the time Myanmar soldiers launched mortar shells into Muslim village of Paithay in Kyauktaw Township in the lost Arakan to Myanmar (western Myanmar).

According to residents, Myanmar soldiers came to send some medical supplies -    masks and pesticide – on the face of the matter or superficially to hospital in Kyauktaw Township. After leaving hospital for their base, Myanmar soldiers launched two mortar shells into Rohingya Muslim village of Paithay wounding three Rohingys critically. They were admitted to hospital later. Of that total, two Rohingyas suffered very much serious wounds on their entire bodies.

But Myanmar Army told media that they were attacked by two remote landmines planted by Arakan Army near the Paithay village at road side of Rangoon- sittwe about over 300 meters west of Kissapanadi Bridge in the evening hours and it also told that nobody was injured in the attack.

Arakan Army spokesperson Mr. Khaing Thukha was telephoned by Radio free Asia(RFA) to respond. He told RFA that there was no clash between Arakan Army and Myanmar Army at that day in Kyaktaw Townships. However, Myanmar Army is still launching mortar shells into villages randomly whenever it passes villages, said Mr.Khaing Thukha.

Media expressed that from April to May 11, 2020 alone, there were 45 killed and 87 injured in the lost Arakan.to Myanmar.

(OPINION) WILL NLD GOVERNMENT AND TATMADAW FORCE TO DISSOLVE ANP OR CO OPT FROM NATIONAL ELECTION IN 2020

Arakan National Party campaign in 2015 national election

Sittway. My 12, 2020( Opinion: Arakan Information Centre - AIC ) 

Sequence of systematic crackdowns, intimidations, harassments, arrests, draconian law suits  over the members of Arakan National Party (ANP) is raised higher concern among the people and leaders whether NLD government and Tatmadaw are co opting to either dissolve the party or marginalize it from 2020 national election. 

  

ANP won majority parliamentary seats in Rakhine State and third largest seats in the national parliament in 2015 election. But the party was not allowed to form the state government. Instead, NLD picked its member for the chief minister and formed the local government without people support. 

DR. Aye Maung, popular and one of the key political figures, was charged with high treason and sentenced for lengthy imprisonment for his political speech that Myanmar government viewed motivating nationalism. 

 After Arakan Army has been emerging armed struggle for greater autonomy since 2018 and Tatmadaw is responding with aggressive counter military offensives and targeting civilians, the conflict in Rakhine state is widen to political confrontation. 

For worse, NLD government is overtly relax. But it is covertly allowing police and courts to arrest and charge ANP members with unlawful association acts and terrorist laws. 

Tatmadaw prosecuted a lawmaker from Buthedaung township in March for his media interview and telling the shells fired from the Tatmadaw landed in a village and injured civilians. The charges are still pending. 

Tatmadaw ran TV Myawaddy publically denounced and threatened Rakhine lawmakers of ANP, who provided evidences and witness accounts of Kyauk Seik incident to media, where 8 villagers were skilled and 14 civilians injured in April.

In May first week, police arrested and charged some ANP members in Tungup township with unlawful association acts. They were released by the court but immediately recharged with terrorist laws in this week.

Police arrested ANP’s chairman of Toungup township and sympathizers of the township municipal chairman and former chairman. They are charged with terrorist laws on May 11. 

These arrests and charges made on the ANP members after there were news came out of Toungup that AA members treated NLD members in the township. 

There are also a number of untold cases of harassing ANP members in Kyuakphu and Ann townships as well. 

All of these harassments and intimidations over the ANP members are indicting National Election Commission may take further severe actions against the party including disqualification of election and outlawing it.

NLD perceives ANP is as a great threat in 2020 election in Rakhine State. Tatmadaw on its military point of view feels ANP is the friend of enemy. 

Both the NLD government and Tatmadaw are in the same page of domination and subversion of central power, and ANP in their eyes is dragging  leg. Without the ANP they think is unchallenged power in Rakhine. 

Analysts are concerned draconian laws against the civilians and the legally registered political party is only pushing the people more support of AA. Furthermore, it is gravitating toward full civil war and dangerous. 

Historically, Rakhine people are politically mature and actively participated in elections in the past and at the present times, and this kind of non-violent political motivation should be encouraged. 

History speaks. 

During the newly independent nation and parliamentary democracy era in 1950s, Rakhine ethnic people voted for their national party instead of the mainland based central Burman dominated party. Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL) led by U Nu competed against Independent Arakanese Parliamentary Group (AIGP) and later emerged to Arakan National United Organization (ANUO) in 2951 election. But the result was fatally suffering to the AFPLF. 

But after AFPLF refused to give statehood and Rakhine leaders actively taking parts with Shan and Mon for greater autonomy movements for numbers of reasons and facts they joined hands with the ethic people and unitedly calling for federation, General Ne Win responded it with the military coup. 

After General Ne Win took over the power and restored one party system under Burmese Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) in 1960s and approved Arakan Division to the statehood, Arakan people were calm and participating in single party elections. 

At this the current democracy transition struggle, people still vote for the national party, and it is history fact that they want home rule. And, the majority people dismay marginalization. 

Both Tatmadaw and NLD should consider another alternative for dialogue and peaceful solution on Rakhine conflicts instead of marginalization of ANP and harsh oppression on the people. 

Myanmar cannot afford another full civil war while facing international pressure, ICJ law suit, and incoming war crimes law suits. 

Might is not answer for Rakhine conflict but wise and brave heart will reconcile between politically distancing people.