Arsons, effacing and disposing

There were a lot of arsons to Arakanese villages in Arakan  (western Myanmar) committed by Myanmar Army after Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi shut down internet last year.

Besides these, effacing dead bodies of Arakanese villagers after killing them by Myanmar Army was also rising from small to big number in Arakan under the nose of Aung San Suu Kyi.

If I am to say as much as I can remember, it is as follows.

On 5/7/2019, Amyet Taung and Alay Caung village in RathiTaung township and Buthitaungtownship respectively were set on fire to the ground by Myanmar Army. It was learnt that after battle happened on the mountain near the Amyet Taung village, the arsonist war criminal Myanmar Army entered into villages and started setting fire to houses on the west and east. Every house was burned to ground and poor villagers were to flee from village to nearby places. 

On May 4, 2020, Nga Taug Tu Chay village in Rathitaung township was also burned to ground

and on May 7,2020, Nga Sa Yin Chaung village in Minbya township too was set on fire to the ashes.

 On May 16, 2020, at 1:45 PM, Lakka village in Mrauk U township was absolutely burned to the ground by Myanmar soldiers before they again set Tinma village on fire in KyaukTaw Township.In March, 2020, Tinma village was burned down entirely.

 And nearly a dozen civilians (11 people) had been missing in the township of Mrauk-U .   According to people with knowledge of situation, Myanmar Army arrested and took away them after clashes with Arakan Army. Nobody knows where they are now. But at nearby Ran Aung Pyin village, Mrauk Oo Township, badly, five burned bodies were found by villagers after Myanmar soldiers abducted them from the village. It was just exactly believed that Myanmar soldiers effaced them after killing atrociously by burning bodies.

 

Similarly, whereabouts of villagers of Timma village arrested by Myanmar soldiers since March is still unknown. There were 18 villagers from Timma village to whom Myanmar  soldiers abducted after setting Timma village on fire on March 16,2020.

 

It was innumerable that Myanmar soldiers dumpped disposeof dead bodies of civilians of Arakan in paddy fields, into rivers and even in sewer of toilet or underground the deep pit of toilet after they killed innocent Arakanese villagers brutally.

 

Peas from the same sack

In the Myanmar politic dominated by majority Burman race, there is heinous tactic which is utilized to crush down strong minority political parties and strong minority armed forces by majority Burman race. If a minority political party or minority armed force emerges strongly, Myanmar or Burmese government initially puts its weight on its Army to do whatever it wants against the minority. Enjoying this right, Myanmar Army commits arbitrary arrest, human right violation, hijack, murder, arson, rape, genocide, looting, etc. to crush down minority.

 

When international community points out crimes of Myanmar Army, Both of them ─ government and army ─ reply that it is not their responsibility. To be clear, Myanmar government says it is the Army’s and Army also says it is Government’s. However, they are the two sides of the same coin (In Arakanese proverb: peas from the same sack).

 

And, when they become to face very hard situation during the period of eliminating against the minority, one of them paves the positive or constructive way to minority to walk on. On the other hand, one of them also is still distancing and preparing trap on the path. This fact is seen currently when Myanmar Army cannot make good recovery in the battle front of Arakan, in Arakan and it is to halt fighting against the Arakan Army without declaring ceasefire.

 

When Myanmar is unable to defeat Arakan Army as they has thought it was easy after they utilized strategy that is to target civilians of Arakan by using jet fighters, helicopters, MLRS, navy and ground troops, Myanmar Army becomes to break fighting. This is only fact why they halt fighting against the Arakan Army.

 

Superficially, we are to know that Arakan Army releases statement to hold election in Northern Arakan and then Myanmar Army welcomes and halts its fighting against the Arakan Army and civilians of Arakan.  As we all know, they have never honest wills to shake hands with minority races because they want to dominate politic and they want to control power over the minorities forever. To continue their intention, Myanmar is to do this and they will open new strategy to crush Arakan Army again near in future.

 

Destroying almost entire civil structures, increasing Internally Displaced Persons again, arresting, killing and wounding people of Arakan, both Myanmar government and Myanmar Army will fight against the Arakan Army and civilians of Arakan again after break. During the break, Myanmar will prepare its strength and will lure politically into trap ─ NCA ─ but Arakan Army will never step on it and will mobilize its reserve troops from North to South in Arakan. The storm is just calm right now and still 
awaits people of Arakan because it is not over.

Arakanese Motor Boat Driver complains bitterly against the exploitation of Myanmar Soldiers

 

Myanmar soldiers station on the hill near the Ramaung Bridge in Minbya township, in Arakan, western Myanmar and they construct posts at the two sides of the river and then demanding fees from passers-by  by  force of arms even if bridge, road and river is not toll bridge, not toll road and not toll water way.

There are small motor boats in the river which transport villagers every day from villages to Minbya town and from Minbya town to villages. The boat driver Maung Lone, who is one of boat drivers, complained bitterly that he had been unfairly treated to pay money by Myanmar soldiers when he passed under the bridge.

According to report, When Maung Lone drove his small motor boat to town with passengers, he was asked to show his registration card – passengers are also asked to show – at the post under the Ramaung Bridge. Therefore he and his passengers handed over their cards to Myanmar soldiers. After a while, Myanmar soldiers told him that they will keep all cards until boat return back from town and ordered to purchase one visa of beef from town market for them.

When Maung Lone and his passengers came back from town, they were to stop at the post under the bridge. No sooner had Myanmar soldiers received one visa of beef from Maung Lone than they asked again Maung Lone to give 50 thousands Myanmar Kyat currency, saying Maung Lone was carrying cement bags on the boat. He explained bugger Myanmar soldiers that cement bags were inclusive tax and for construction of village monastery. But, he was rejected and forced to pay.

Maung Lone told local media – Narinjara News – that he had to pay yesterday also 3 thousands Myanmar Kyat to the Myanmar soldiers when he passed under the bridge. He continued to tell media that amount of 3 thousands money was somewhat small – US 2 dollars – I can try to pay them but 50 thousands money was too much for me, said Maung Lone.

Maung Lone pleaded political leaders through the media to handle exploitation of Myanmar armed forces in Arakan. The notorious Myanmar Army is currently launching an offensive military operation against the Arakan Army and against the civilians of Arakan, killing and wounding Arakanese people  every day and committing crimes against the humanity and committing war crimes by setting villages on fire, driving out villagers from their villages and looting belongings of villagers.

 

  

 

 

 

Myanmar soldiers beat Arakanese shrimp farmer unconscious

 

A convoy of 200 Myanmar troops marched to the Chitponma village under the Ann township in Arakan, western Myanmar, at about 16 hours on 13/11/2020. It is learned that they came in and harassed villagers by force of arms.

 

After a raid on every house in the village, a shrimp farmer was taken from his shrimp pond to the village hall. The poor shrimp farmer Kyaw Nu Maung, aged 48, was tied to a pole of Village Hall with a rope. Then he was knocked unconscious by soldiers of Myanmar Army, leaving him alone in the hall. The poor shrimp famer was later found abandoned and unconscious by villagers who were taking him as soon as possible to nearby medical central.

 

When Myanmar troops were about to leave the village, an abbot monk from the village monastery requested them to return back the telephones and currencies of villagers seized by Myanmar soldiers during raiding every house in the village. But only they returned back a few telephones and left the village and caused villagers to remain in resentment.  

Social worker Ko Myo from Ann township confirmed about the persecution of Myanmar soldiers when Narinjara News – Arakan main media− contacted  him on phone.

 

It is for majority Burman race

A constitution drafted by Myanmar military and unilateral manner by Myanmar regime does not allow Arakanese people to enjoy equal rights and self-determination. The reason why it is that Myanmar has intention to maintain its rule in Arakan.

 

Therefore, without caring international laws, Myanmar or Burma has launched an offensive military operation against the Arakan Army and against the people of Arakan, killing and wounding civilians of Arakan every day.

 

Even if during the period of holding election in its inside, Myanmar  does not stop killing and wounding  people of Arakan. Besides, Myanmar military is looting rice and foods from the villages and from Internally Displaced Persons ‘camps. Homes in villages are also being set on fire by Myanmar military. As worst as entire villagers from village are hijacked and abducted by Myanmar military when soldiers desert their Army, questioning and persecuting villagers to know whereabouts of their soldiers. Until this moment, most of villagers still are in the hand of hijacker Myanmar military without knowing situation of them.

 

Just two days ago, Six villagers, including two children, were injured in the firing of artillery shelling over Shaukkon village under  Ann township in Arakan by Myanmar military while Myanmar held so-called election. According to report, The villagers went on hiding underground since the morning hours. One artillery shell fell on a monastery and another inside the village,” said Maung Cherry, a writer based in Kandaunggyi town.

 

Narinjara News ─ Arakan main media – reports that earlier, on 8 September  last,  three artillery shells exploded at Nyaung Kan village in the same area that killed five persons including a schoolteacher along with her seven years old daughter. Another 7 years old child died, where ten other individuals sustained injuries and they were taken to the hospital.

 

Under the Myanmar rule, no right to form a regional government for Arakan even though Arakan political party that won the election landslide in Arakan. Centralizing power of politic, so-called union government of Myanmar or so-called constitutional president appoints its confidants as ministers to form a government in Arakan. The elected representatives from constituencies are

just to sit on chairs in parliament . Myanmar political system is basically with features of majority. But what is for minorities?. The scheme of distribution of powers has not clear demarcation of legislative , executive and financial powers between Union and states. The entire administration of the state concerned is assumed by the union because so-called union has the power to give directions to the states in every matter.

Therefore, it is not wonderful that Myanmar democracy and election is in question and it is just for majority Burman race.

Donning Mask of Election, Myanmar still oppressing Non- Burma Races

 

The election in Burma in this weekend means nothing, especially for other ethnic groups, including the Rakhine, with no significant consequences. The current government, in 2010, joined the military to continue its politics and participated in the election, accepted the military-drafted constitution, and brutally persecuted and killed ethnic nationalities.

This time, during the election campaign, the Burmese military-backed party and the ruling party competed on the stage, but hugged and kissed the back of the stage and made non-Burmese ethnic groups crazy. The ethnic groups are right subjected about the plot between two major Burmese parties and the Burmese military

In addition, constituencies in Shan and Rakhine State have been canceled for security reasons and before the election result, they are right now celebrating for winning of those constituencies in Arakan and Shan State because those vacant places will be treated and ruled whatever they want by Myanmar.

The next government and next coming Burmese governments will not be able to build a genuine federal union in the elections that will be based on a military-drafted constitution.

Therefore, instead of holding elections based on the constitution drafted by the military, the current people's representatives and ethnic leaders need to convene a conference with international and UN assistance, and the people's leaders should draft a new constitution within three to six months.

Only then can elections be held in a free, fair and equitable manner to build genuine federal union. But this is too difficult  to do for non-Burma races  because of oppressive Burmese regime and Burmese military.

Myanmar Army still committing war crimes by killing civilians of Arakan

Local residents had already reported on September 8, 2020 that Myanmar army Light Infantry Division 66 from Ann township fired artillery shells into Nyaung Ken village in Maybom township in the morning and kill 5 civilians and wounded 9 more villagers, including 7 years old children, in Arakan, western Myanmar. After that Myanmar military is now again and again still committing war crimes, firing artillery shells into villages and boats in the river hired by ICRC.

In latest Thursday artillery firings  by Myanmar Military into two villages in Arakan resulted nine villagers, including three children,  injured. According to villagers, Myanmar Navy came with two vessels, one is big and another one is small, from which they fired into villages indiscriminately and shelled heavy artilleries five times.

According to reports, during the period of two year long war launc
hed by Myanmar Army against the Arakan Army of Arakanese people in Arakan, there are 309 civilians of Arakan dead and injured 684. And, due to Myanmar military's setting villages on fire and driving villagers out of villages, there are also 230,000 civilians of Arakan who become Internally Displaced Person without home and livelihood, staying at IDPs Camps

Myanmar Army is not only conducting its offensive military operation against the Arakan Army but also on civilians of Arakan without complying international laws therefore Thomas Andrews, the U.N’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, called for an immediate end to military assaults on Rakhine villages and decried the mounting toll of child casualties in the war in September.

Clarification of the true instance and situation about Paletwa area

The United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) hand in hand with the Arakanese Peoples has robustly been facing the massive offensive assaults and attacks from all sides of the racial extremist, invading fascist, war criminal Myanmar Army for almost two years. The Myanmar Army has constantly been conducting the four-cut-campaign in the areas of Arakan and Paletwa even amid the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic second wave. The Myanmar Government has deliberately been covering up the atrocious human rights violations, crimes against humanity, and war crimes of its military by cutting off internet access in ten townships for over a year.

 

In addition, the Myanmar Army has not only severely restricted but also blocked off the flow of goods and traveling by land and waterways. The inhabitants know well such the heinous acts of the Myanmar Army since before the Coronavirus outbreak. Due to the disruption of the internet connection, there has been no harm to our organization except for the health, education, socio-economic, and hardship of all local innocent civilians amid the prevention and combating the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

 

The traveling by the land and waterways in the environs of Paletwa area have strictly been blocking off by the battalions based in Paletwa Township and Chin State, the battalions under the command of the 11th, 55th, and 77th Divisions. The checkpoints of these battalions have been installed along with the land and waterways where innocent civilians normally travel and severely restricted the flow of goods and travel. Moreover, the Myanmar Army has continuously been conducting cutting off and blocking off the transportation from the four-cut-campaign with together their military operation throughout the Paletwa Township. Therefore, road closure in the Paletwa area is nothing to do with us but it is because of the checkpoints of the Myanmar Army installing along with the land and waterways.

 

The so-called security checkpoints of the Myanmar Army have been charging exorbitant fees from the vehicles traveling on the land and waterways. Each of the trucks and boats is taxed from (50,000 kyats) to (200,000 kyats). Those seeking their daily livelihood are having to pay bribes at the gates of the Myanmar Army. As a result, consumers are having to buy the goods at higher prices than before because basic food items are being sold at higher prices than usual. For example, a bag of rice worth 20,000 kyats (current price) in Kyauktaw Town, Arakan costs up to 50,000 kyats in Paletwa Town. The difficulty of transportation and rising prices for the basic groceries are nothing to do with the Arakan Army but it is because of the checkpoints of the Myanmar Army controlling the flow of the goods and transportation ways along with the land and waterways.

 

In addition, the Myanmar Army has been forcing trucks and boats as porters without paying any money to transport its military equipment at those checkpoints. The innocent civilians are not allowed to travel safely and the Myanmar Army’s troops at those checkpoints have brazenly been committing thuggish acts such as occasionally firing the heavy and light weapons, killing, abducting, and torturing the innocent civilians, and unlawfully confiscating the goods.

 

The United League of Arakan/Arakan Army ineluctably has to summon and interrogate some suspects as needed to prevent enemy tactics and incursions during the battles. However, everyone knows that the faultless and innocent civilians were released after being interrogated in accordance with the Code of Conduct without torturing and killing.

 

On the other hand, some Chin Civil Society Organizations backed by veterans of the Myanmar Army and some so-called Chin social media outlets under the shadow of their influence and orders have been covering up the truths of Paletwa Township, misrepresenting the real situation on the ground and spreading one-sided accusations and propagandas, and intentionally misleading the public by misrepresenting information. It is a collaboration with the enemy to blame on our organization for war crimes committed by the Myanmar Army.

 

The news of the disappearance of some Paletwa residents is one of their propaganda allegations. We would like to make it clear and decisively deny that our organization has never detained any of the individuals involved in the allegations. Our organization is deeply concerned about the survival and fate of these missing persons. These are baseless allegations and only imaginative actions to decoy the other organization because they want to encourage the enemy from the other side.

 https://www.arakanarmy.net/post/clarification-of-the-true-instance-and-situation-about-paletwa-area

Such acts are often carried out by the terrorist group, invading fascist, Myanmar Army backed by the Myanmar Regime, which is the main body responsible for the detention and torture of local innocent ethnic civilians. It is respectfully clarified that the truth and justice will be obtained if the investigation is conducted with an impartial point of view and free from corruption.

 

United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA)

 

ARAKAN ARMY BRINGING HARMONY BETWEEN RAKHINE AND RAOHINGYA COMMUNITY TO SEEK FOR JUSTICE, PROTECTION, AND IDENTITY

https://www.a020/09/arakan-army-bringing-harmony-between.html

Villagers from Pha Yar Poun village are sleeping on the ground after Myanmar army set fire their houses on September 3.

Background of Two Foot Soldiers

Recent development of two deserted foot soldiers from Myanmar army and reportedly appeared  in Netherlands in this week is encouraging for both Rakhine and Raohingya communities for at least International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ) may able to produce more evidences of crimes committed by Myanmar army against Rohingya Muslim in 2017.

Moreover, after Arakan Army, freedom fighting ethnic Rakhine revolutionary force emerging, two communities are brought in harmony to seek for justice, protection, and interaction in every level of grassroots in the villages, in towns, and among the key political leaderships in recent years. 

The video clips released by Arakan Army in June revealed that the two soldiers, Private Myo Win Tun, 33, and served for Light Infantry Battalion 565, and Private Zaw Naing Tun, 30, and served for Light Infantry Battalion 353 had involved in ‘clearance operations’ in 2016 and 2017 and killed a number of Rohingya after given orders from their superiors.

International news said Myo Win Tun and Zaw Naing Tun are now in the custody in Netherlands after they requested protection in Bangladesh in August. The news said Bangladesh authority contacted to ICC after the soldiers sought asylums.

Arakan Army Spokesperson Khine Thu Kha told our news agency the two former soldiers appeared in Netherlands are run-away military service men from Myanmar army but not Prisoner of War, or ‘POW’. He said AA did not detain them at all but helped them for certain extent of providing foods, cashes, and shelters for temporary basis before they went out themselves to settle private lives elsewhere.

“These two soldiers are run-awayfoot soldiers from Myanmar army. They reached to our camps. We documented what they have done and really experienced on the ground that we have already released some video clips,” he said.

Khine Thu Kha said, “In order to save valuable human life, we have cooperated with the international community because Myanmar army is killing innocent Rakhine civilians daily, randomly arresting villagers, setting fire houses, looting private properties, and stealing and slaughtering cattle for foods, in terms of rampaging all kinds of violence over the general populations that have to be stop one way or another. In Myanmar, domestic law does not protect civilians but the international law. So, we ought to cooperate with the international community in order to prevent such atrocity carried out by Myanmar military.”

“As we have made an announcement, we have provided some mass grave locations to the international community. And, we hope that the international community will somehow prevent the lawless killing over our people by enforcing the international law,” he said. 

Arakan Army announced on January 26 and stated, “While Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) is being investigated for war crimes at the International Criminal Court, they are brazenly continuing to commit like this even today. Therefore, if any organization that loves the truth and other independent organizations take steps to establish the truth, we stand ever ready to extend our hands of cooperation.”

According to AA sources, it has handed over some evidences of Rohingya mass graves and the locations to the international organization in June shortly after it made the announcement.

Local sources said there are several high ranking military officers and hundreds of deserted foot soldiers who obtain evidences and experiences in the massive atrocities done over the Rohingya community during the clearance operations in Buthedang and Maungdaw townships in 2016 and 2017.

Rakhine and Rogingya Villagers Helping Each Other

When Myanmar army declared ‘clearance operation’ in Kyautan village track in Rathedaung township on June 24, over 30,000 residents were fleeing from the villages in fear of get killed and arrested. But several Rohingya villages were remaining untouched by the military. Rakhine villagers asked the Rohingya to look after their cows, buffalos, and some properties while they were running out of the villages.

Ahr Kar Taung and Kan Sit are some Rohingya villages close to the Yet Khone Taing and Tha Mee Hla Rakhine villages where all residents have been fleeing since June. The villagers handed over hundreds of cows, buffalos, and farming-machines to the Rohingya villagers to temporarily take care of.

“Five cows and three buffalos are given to my Muslim friend in Ahr Kar Taung village to look after before I come back to my village. They are well taking care of the cattle,” said U Kyaw Thar Aung, a villager from Tha Mee Hla village.

There are many stories like these in in Rathedaung and Buthedaung townships.

Ko Ann Thar Gyi, a charity volunteer, assisted and transported several wounded Rohungya to the hospital in Minbya township in June. The video clip of assisting the Rohingya patients appeared on social media. He told the local media, Rakhine people ought to help the Rohungya patients because they are suffered the same as Rahkhine people are facing today by the Myanmar military randomly attacking and firing motor shells.

Arakan Army Set a Tax Free Zone for Rohingya Villages

Rohingya villagers reported the village chairman collected tax of 20,000 Kyat (About 18 US dollar) to per cow before the Muslim Eid day celebration in Than Htuang and Ya Ba villages in Kyauktaw township. They reported the village chairman, Mro ethnic, was collecting taxes for Arakan Army.

After AA got that report and investigated the tax collection, it found out the local Rohingya villagers had to pay taxes to the local authorities for many years. The village chairman had collected the taxes to pass the authority and police. But the police and the authority could not come to those villages at all because AA has been controlling that region since last summer.

Then, the AA leader in the local base instructed the village chairman to give back the tax money to the Rohingya villagers, and ordered from now on, these villagers do not have to pay any tax to the local authorities. Now, the Rohingya villagers are saving a lot of money.

Similar case took place in Buthedaung township when 10 stolen buffaloes were captured by AA administrator in May.

Traders were heading to the Bangladesh border with 10 buffaloes in the morning of May. AA administrator was reported that those buffaloes were stolen from Zay Taung village. Then AA stopped the traders on the border and investigated it.

AA found out the buffaloes belonged to the Rohingya. AA gave back the cattle to the owners. 

One of the key AA leaders said some Rakhine came and claimed those buffaloes belonged to them. But it was not true. He said justice has to be fairness and does not matter they are Rakhine or Muslim, the properties must be given to the rightful owners. 

High Level Leaderships Interaction

Some high level of liberal Rakhine and Rohingya leaderships are discussing their view point how to cooperate and build unity among themselves in order to have bargaining power when negotiating with the central government and how their future will be look like in term of achieving freedom and equality.

The discussions are going on local and diaspora leaderships level. They discuss they would like to have a common agreement between Rakhine and Rohingya community in basic terms of freedom of movements, right to citizenships, right to equality, and right to voluntary return of refugees. They believe these kinds of common agreement may empower themselves to negotiate with the central government and implement the recommendations of late UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

In different point of views among the diaspora leaderships, they even discuss radicalized approach in cooperation between the two communities and prosecute individual Myanmar generals at the ICC, and even lead to further discussion of forming a political and military collation to fight together for total independence from the Myanmar authority and create a new nation where everyone can enjoy equal rights and equal opportunity whereas AA has manifested 'Way of Rahita.'

For the leaderships and organizations that are involving in the political discussions, Arakan News is requested to off publishing on media due to their security concern. .

A Fight For Legitimacy Amid Arakan's Changing Political Landscape

July 25, 2020 / DMG

Arakan, a tiny coastal land fenced in by the Arakan Yoma mountain range to the east and neighboured by Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal to the west, is on fragile political ground due to conflict between the Myanmar armed forces and the  Arakan Army. As of between December 1, 2019 and April 15, 2020, prominent side effects of the hostilities include more than 160,000 people displaced (IDPs), 406 injured and 336 deaths in Arakan and Chin states, according to the local NGO Burma Monitor. Other tangible consequences include a lingering internet shutdown, restrictions on domestic and international media and humanitarian assistance, governance breakdowns and travel limitations, while intangible repercussions are numerous, from the growth of hatred and distrust toward the government and military to feelings of insecurity, and uncertain futures politically, economically, and societally.

Arakan has long lived under different tyrannical regimes, since the 1962 military coup by General Ne Win and arguably through President U Thein Sein’s military-backed administration (2011-16). Successive governments wielded despotic powers unheeding of the rule of law, and procedural and substantive accountability. Today both State and non-State actors (the latter being primarily the Arakan Army) compete for power over populations and territories in Arakan State, particularly in the northern half of the region.

The Functions of State

In his 2004 book “State-Building,” the prominent political scientist Francis Fukuyama breaks down the two dimensions of the State, calling them ‘Strength of the State’ and ‘Scope of the State,’ while the latter is further divided into three sub-sectors of functionality: 1) minimal functions 2) intermediate functions and 3) activist functions. In Fukuyama’s view, the three categories of State functions are as follows:

Minimal functions: Functions	Intermediate Functions	Activist
1. Providing pure public goods policy 2. Defense, law and order distribution 3. Property rights 4. Macroeconomic management  5. Public health 6. Improving equality  7. Protecting the poor	1) Addressing externalities 2) Education, Environment  3) Regulating monopoly 4) Social insurance  5) Insurance, financial regulation 6) Overcoming imperfect education	1) Industrial 2) Wealth

Myanmar (then Burma) may have had a large State scope under the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) government (1962-88), but its scope was trimmed back under the two decades of military rule that followed (1988-2010). The post-2010 governments are still trying to address State deficiencies in all three sectors. More importantly, the strength of the State in Myanmar is comparatively faint. Even the main law-enforcing actor, the Myanmar Army, is able to master just 50% of the territory ostensibly under its domain.

Being the second-poorest region in Myanmar after the contiguous Chin State, with nearly 70% of the population living in poverty, the people of Arakan harbour resentment toward the Nay Pyi Taw government. Two consecutive general election victories for Arakan State’s leading ethnic political party were followed by a rejection of their claim to have earned the right to form the state government. Historical grievances are made more galling by material poverty, with all these factors boosting the Arakan Army and the nationalist revolution it has vowed to shepherd by waging a war that is now more than 18 months old.

Since Myanmar is a weak State, it is more susceptible to being substituted in reality or in people’s minds by the likes of the Arakan Authority, an interim governance body forged by the AA’s political wing, the United League of Arakan (ULA). On June 19, Arakan News published a story about the AA-affiliated Authority settling a land dispute issue in Ponnagyun Township between two brothers. The case was worked out within a week and the two parties seemed to be satisfied with the resolution proposed by the Arakan Authority, according to the report.

A day earlier, on June 18, a local monk from Mrauk-U told RFA: “As far as I see and hear, the public does not go to the police for their criminal cases and I am told that AA is solving the cases. So, I find only AA and Myanmar military governance while the NLD government is nearly invisible. This started to happen soon after the AA announcement to install a governing mechanism.”

Drug rehabilitation programmes administered by the AA are also appreciated by local populations, the RFA story added.

The NLD administration, meanwhile, is seeking to rehabilitate the governing mechanism while the military is calling for more effective rule, possibly a form of martial law in Arakan. On the ground, however, the power of State to non-State actors is increasingly shifting to the latter. Still, it is difficult to know to what extent the Arakan Authority is acting in a manner befitting of the abovementioned Fukuyama chart on State scope and strength.

AA Revolution and the Muslim community in Arakan

It is interesting to consider how the Muslim community in Arakan State has reacted to the AA’s armed revolution and the changing political calculations in Arakan. Due to the 2017 “clearance operations” by the Myanmar military, around 700,000 Muslims fled to Bangladesh, a majority of them also stateless. With Myanmar facing a lawsuit under the Genocide Convention before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2019, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi described the AA movement as such: