The rind of lemon Talks

To sign the Bilateral Ceasefire Agreement between the Myanmar Army and Northern

Alliance – Kachin Independence Army, Arakan Army, Palaung National Liberation Army

and MNDAA  -  on 17/9/2019, in Kengtung, Shan State, Northern Myanmar, Leaders and

representatives from both sides had met.

During the meeting, both sides discussed to cease fighting each other but clashes between

two sides are still happening in Arakan and Shan State everyday, killing and wounding villagers.

The talks is just like rind of lemon under which one can gradually taste sour later because when Arakan Army discussed and proposed to base its Headquarters in Arakan during the meeting, Myanmar Army’s delegation intentionally avoided and postponed it. It was just clear point that both ruling party led by Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar Army were unwilling to let Arakan Army to base Headquarters in Arakan. However, thousands of soldiers of Arakan Army were already in Arakan and gained strongholds across the Northern Arakan.

Therefore, Myanmar Army is desperately launching offensive military operation against the Arakanese people’s Arakan Army everyday in Arakan, causing Internally Displaced Persons up to 70,000 and killing and wounding hundreds. 

On the eve of Bilateral Ceasefire Talks, Myanmar air force ‘s three helicopters strafed rockets and bombs position of Arakan Army on the mountain in Minbya Township in Arakan. And Myanmar Army is still launching offensive attacks against the Arakan Army in Arakan after meeting.

After talks, some politicians remarked that there is positive result of talks while others expressed that there is still clashes in Arakan because Myanmar Army left Arakan when it declared unilateral ceasefire in entire Myanmar to crush Arakan Army.  

Dr Nyo Twan Aung, deputy chief of the Arakan Army, told media that the discussion for signing bilateral ceasefire agreement had to take time because both side misunderstood the points in the agreement.

However, both sides consented or agreed to hold talks again in October in this year.

Myanmar Army is shooting and killing Arakanese people daily

On Saturday in Pan Mraung village of Minbya Township, Northern Arakan, artillery shell fired from nearby Aung Mingala Hill by Myanmar Army has killed Arakanese student girl and  two boys and badly injured three others who are still in the hospital.

From Saturday to Tuesday, August 27, 2019 , Myanmar Army is continually shelling mortars to surrounding hills and bombing with two fighter aircrafts into woods and hills.Therefore, Pan Mraung villagers are fleeing from their village to Mrauk U Town and Min Bya Town in fear with just only cloth on their bodies.

According to Arakan Army - which is struggling for freedom of its people -  shelling from Aung Mingala Hill by Myanmar Army killed our Arakanese student girl and boys.

Village administrator Tin Aung Kyaw  also told local media that Myanmar Army stationed in the village and Aung mingala hill, shelling mortars and firing heavy weapons everyday from dawn to dusk to surrounding hills.

Meanwhile, a woman from Tun Ra Wai village, Rathidaung Township, was shot by Myanmar Army men while she and her villagers were running from their village during gunfire sprayed by Myanmar Army into her village. Her  situation is so much bad in the hospital because bullet is still in her spine and her nerves is damaged. Therefore, nervous system in the body causes to numb her lower part of body. She is transferred to Rangoon hospital.

And a gentleman from Pauk Taw Pyin village, Mrauk U Township, was also shot by Myanmar Army when he and his three friends from his village came from pasture after herding cattle. As soon as Myanmar Army men saw gentleman and his friends – who were coming from pasture with cattle – they opened fire indiscriminately into them. So, the bullet hit his buttock and Myanmar Army men stamped him while his face was downward to the ground after bullet hit hm. He is in the hospital and his condition is critical.

On 27/8/2019, a married woman from Shew Haling village of  Kyauk Taw Township was shot

in the midnight and bullet hit her thigh., Local media Narinjara writes.

Myanmar Army – which is considered to be one among the worst in the world – is shooting and killing Arakanese people everyday in Arakan after Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi instructed her notorious Myanmar Army to crush Arakan Army  by using air force  on 7/1/2019.

Arakanese villagers escape and take refuge in downtown

Due to Myanmar Army’s offensive attacks against the Arakan Army in Northern Arakan

( western Myanmar), over 200 villagers from Kyauk Tan village in Rathedang Township

critically had become Internally Displaced Persons again nowadays.

By the time Myanmar Army hijacked 275 Kyauk Tan villagers at village school premises on 2/5/2019, seven villagers were killed and eight were wounded. 

Since then, villagers are every now and again persecuted by Myanmar Army men who are shelling mortars around the village once in a while. 

Therefore,  over 200 villagers from Kyauk Tan village attempted to escape from arbitrary attacks of Myanmar Army  and came to take refuge in the downtown of Rathedaung Town, Northern Arakan.    

No Myanmar administrator and regional puppet government take accountability and responsibility about them right now. 

However, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are trying to help them but there were a lot of problems for them to help villagers because of insufficient fund and accommodation. Among the over 200 IDPs, there are pregnant women , elder men and women  and just infants who all are suffering.

Myanmar Army detains refugees from Thameehla village in village monastery

Three boats , out of the blue, arrived riverside of Thameehla village of Rathetaung Township in Northern Arakan  and Myanmar Army men were being loaded onto boats. Simultaneously, three helicopters were also hovering above the boats before Myanmar Army men from boats and helicopters entered  Thameehla village.

As Myanmar Army men entered into Thameehla village, they were shooting spray of machine- gun bullets. According to local media, there was an Army of 150 troops which entered Thameehla village in the evening of 7 August. Almost every villager fled in fear, leaving everything.

Unfortunately, there was a funeral for a woman who died on 7 August. Family members were scheduled to hold the funeral on 8 August, but nobody attended the funeral service because all villagers fled from their homes, local media writes.

Village elders and adolescent girls only were taking refuge at village monastery. However, Myanmar Army men trespassed into religious temple with deadly weapons and detained all of them. Nobody could still know what happen to them after Myanmar Army men detained all of village refugees at monastery in Thameehla village.

  

INGO service personal was shot in the chest by Myanmar Army

In the Arakanese ancient city Mrauk U, Arakan (western so-called Myanmar),

one of INGO staff members was shot in the chest by the time he was travelling

by motorcycle around the Tamarite village at seven in the evening on 28/7/2019 by brutal

killer Myanmar Army.

INGO service personal name is Ree Lin Naing aged 25 and he is married man and he has

a little daughter. After Myanmar government and its Army imposed internet ban and a curfew in Arakan, Arakanese people are being everyday subjected to beat, persecute, shoot and kill by Myanmar Army.   Ko Ree Lin Naing was transferred to Sittwe General Hospital at about 11:00 a.m. on Monday, a hospital employee said over the phone. His condition was unclear.

Since Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi directed her brutal , notorious Army to launch operation against the Arakan Army,  her killer Myanmar Army was terminating Arakanese people everyday. It is learnt that Myanmar Army has killed over ten  Arakanese people in every month after Aung San Suu Kyi called for her Army to crush Arakan Army seven months ago. 

Right now , there are over 72 Arakanese people who were killed by Myanmar Army during the seven months , not including injured persons and missing persons. And there are just over 60,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)  across the northern Arakan where 

Myanmar Army men  commit war crimes by persecuting, killing, looting, raping.

No IDPs is able to get basic sufficient requirements for their living because Myanmar government ignores situation in Arakan and blocks all humanitarian aid from local and international.

According to media, most war refugees are from Mrauk-U Township, followed by Rathedaung. It is also learnt to realize the conditions in refugee camps that are located near towns are somewhat okay but those in camps far from town face many difficulties. 

Almost every IDPs camp runs out of food and most camps are facing health problems while Myanmar government and its Army continually are waging war against the Arakan Army by launching military operation without caring international laws and shutting down internet service and imposing a curfew in northern Arakan.

Irresponsible Myanmar Army and Government which Arakanese people do not need

A column of Myanmar Army attacked position of Arakan Army in Buthitaung Township,

northern Arakan (western Myanmar) on 22.7.2019. During the attacking against the

Arakan Army, Myanmar Army shelled mortars not only location of battle but also villages.

There was a Muslim village, named Sin They Pyin , which was hit and landed mortar

by Myanmar Army. Due to landing mortar in the village, a Muslim youth injured and a house

was ruined . 

Meanwhile, the Arakanese youth was hit bullet on head by Myanmar Army in Mrauk U Township when his family including him came to Tin Nyo village by motor boat.

From the bank of river, Myanmar Army opened fire them and shelled the boat with small mortar (9mm).  The injured youths were admitted to hospital in a critical condition. 

No Myanmar Army officer and no Myanmar administrator comes forward to take responsibility. Local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) alone are just to make them to be in hospital.

It is wonderful that Myanmar Army and government are taking no responsibility about everything in Arakan even if they are ruling Arakan after occupying.

So, it is absolutely reasonable that Arakanese people should not need irresponsible Myanmar Army and Government but need responsible Arakan Army and Government.

  

Myanmar Army has set fire to village again in Arakan

There was arson again to Arakanese village in northern Arakan( western Myanmar)

committed by Myanmar Army  on  July 13, 2019 after Myanmar government led by

Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi shut down internet service in Arakan.

This time, no sooner had Myanmar Army set fire to houses from Nwa Ron Taung village of Buthitaung Township, than it accused Arakan Army as arsonist.

The Arakan Army -  which is given birth by Arakanese people – released statement two days back that denouncing the statement of Myanmar Army alleging the AA of running away after starting fires in Nwa Ron Taung village in Buthidaung Township. 

A villager from Nwa Ron Taung village, who asked anonymity, told local media that Myanmar Army was conducting military operation near the villages and set fire to village by the time it became to be in disadvantage.

According to media like Radio Free Asia, Throughout Myanmar, there were continued reports of Myanmar military committing human rights violations and abuses particularly in Arakan.

Therefore, The U.S’s State Department has announced in the evening of 16 July that it has imposed travel sanctions on Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Vice Senior-General Soe Win, Maj-Gen Than Oo, Major Aung Aung and their immediate family members for involvement in gross violations of human rights including in extrajudicial killings in northern Arakan.

The latest strategy of Myanmar army and government on Arakan is very much unlawful

Myanmar or Burma abhors Arakan National on the ground of racism. Therefore, from time

to time, Myanmar is oppressing Arakan National by not giving the same rights and freedom as Myanmar or Burma.

From generation to generation, Arakanese people are still suffering from persecution of Myanmar in every field under the oppressive rule of Myanmar. Due to Myanmar Army’s offensive attacks against the Arakan Army in Northern Arakan –western so-called Myanmar – where there are nowadays nearly 50,000 Internally Displaced Persons without sufficient shelters, food and cloths.

These IDPs are to leave their homes and villages when Myanmar Army shells bombs and torches villages after Myanmar Leader Aung San Suu Kyi directs her notorious Myanmar Army to launch operation against the Arakan Army which is given birth to free Arakan from Myanmar by Arakanese people.

Local media writes that  ‘for children from refugee camps, the most important matter now is how to live in their shelters during rainy season; school is not priority number one’. Children have not any accessories to go to school with. “We are now struggling to get food on a daily basis, so we can’t afford to let them go to school. We don’t know what the government will do yet. My daughter is a grade five student. Right now, we can’t do anything to help her go to school,” U Hla Maung Shwe from Kan Sauk refugee camp said.

The Myanmar army extended another two more months of bilateral ceasefire in northeast but excludes Arakan Land to crush Arakan Army and to oppress Arakanese people.

At the same time, by shutting down internet in Arakan,Myanmar government is arresting more and more people while entire region is blackout.

Arakan Army spokesperson’s brother-in-law and two other villagers are arrested in Ann township, Arakan. Besides, Myanmar army has filed formal charges against AA Commander General Tun Myat Naing, Lieutenant General DR Nyo Tun Aung, Col. Kyaw Han, Spokesperson Khine Thu Kha, and Central Committee Member San Shwe Aung.

Due to Myanmar embassy’s instruction, the Singaporean police and immigration arrested Ko Aung Myat Kyaw (younger brother of the AA chief) and Ko Tun Aye this morning, according to the Arakanese community in Singapore at 6 am on 10 July. 

On the other hand, Myanmar government is sending its troops to Arakan more and more and every village in five townships, northern Arakan , are being attempted to seal off all accesses to villages Therefore, villagers are running out foods while they are unable to come out from villages.

Myanmar Army commits arson by burning Arakanese villages

Myanmar Army – war criminal – burned Arakanese villages, named Amyet Taung

and Alay chaung, in Rathetaung township and Buthitaung township respectively, Arakan (western Myanmar) after clashes with Arakan Army.

The arsonist Myanmar Army was cowardly setting fire to those villages because of it had been attacked at eight places in northern Arakan during a day(5.7.2019) by 

Arakan Army and lost its 40 combatants.

After battle happened on the mountain near the Amyet Taung village, the arsonist war

criminal Myanmar Army entered village and started setting fire to houses on the west and

east. Every house were burned to ground and poor villagers were to flee from village to nearby places. 

This was first arson to Arakanese villages committed by Myanmar Army after Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi shut down internet service in Arakan.

Meanwhile, 14 Arakanese villagers were killed by Myanmar Army during interrogation process after Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi called for her brutal Army to launch operation against the Arakan Army. Moreover,  due to Myanmar Army’s shelling and bombing on villages in northern Arakan, there are, right now, over 40000 Internally Displaced Persons across the five townships in which a curfew was imposed by Myanmar Government.

Challenges of UN Security Council on Rakhine Crisis; Need Tougher Stand

- July 03, 2019 https://arakanic.blogspot.com/2019/07/challenges-of-un-security-council-on.html

Challenges of UN Security Council on Rakhine Crisis; Need Tougher Stand  

UN Special Envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner-Burgener

July 3, 2019. Sittway

It is more than a thriller but not a movie on the screen; it is a reality of endless human rights abuse thriller by Myanmar military in Rakhine State while entire region is blacking out.

On the other side of the world, UN Special Envoy Christine Schraner-Burgener is briefing UN Security Council over optimistic view on Myanmar government, handling violence and refugee repatriation. She even misleads fighting with Arakan Army is hindering refugee repatriation process.

“Meanwhile, I am concerned that the heavy fighting with Arakan Army (AA) will further impact effort toward the dignified, voluntary and safe return of refugees,” she writes on her briefing.

In fact, the refugee repatriation is already damaged credibility by the leadership of Myanmar unwillingness and lack of fully accepting international cooperation before the fighting broken out with AA in earlier months of 2019.

Mrs. Schraner-Burgener tends to forget both the government and military leaderships are parts of problem and accountable for violence and forced relocation of the Muslim refugees.

Without the punitive actions against perpetrators through criminal procedure but proving carrots to it alone cannot guarantee the system of deterring further violence and maintaining justice.

Even worse, two temporary detainees Rakhine villagers are killed during the military detention and over 5,000 villagers seeking for shelters while internet blackout very recently.

Myanmar army arrested 10 villagers from Packtaw Pyin village on June 20. Among the 10 arrested, Nay Myo Tun, 23, was tortured and killed in the army custody on June 25.

Zaw Win Hlaing, 28, was killed by Myanmar soldiers while in detention in Sittway hospital. He was arrested by the army on June 20 along with other 8 villagers in Waythali village near Mrauk U township.

Zaw Win Hlaing badly and internally wounded while interrogation. He was taken to Sittway hospital on June 30 but died on July 2. He was severely beaten by stones and iron bars during detaining.   

On June 29, 3,000 villagers from Lin Gonn and Kyauktan villages, Rathidaung township, ran away when the government soldiers were entering into the villages.

Similarity, 1,500 villagers from Taw Phua Chung village and 1,200 villager Paw Hree Pyin village, Pannaygun township, ran away and took shelter in IDP camps in the last week of June.

On June 30, government soldiers burned down 23 farm-huts and 24 hey-straw-reserved near Min Thar Daung village, Kyawtaw township.

All these atrocities happened in Rakhine State after the internet blackout.

UN Special Envoy Christine Schraner-Burgener is fail to mention the war crimes Myanmar army committing persistently in Rakhine State and their accountabilities.

There are people dying and starving every day. Myanmar government does the killing and starving the people.

Meanwhile, UN agencies are silence to protect the civilians and fail to provide humanitarian assistances. Instead, Christine Schraner-Burgener calls for unified supports of her effort to pleasing the conflicting-party government that drove out over a half million refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh.

More rights abuses are predictable in Rakhine State since the same leaderships of both government and Tatmadaw are in-charge of fresh conflicts of waring with Arakan Army, which once targeted Muslim populations.

UN Security Council requires careful and reasonable doubts before it shifts policy on Myanmar. Possible war crimes and to refer those cases to International Criminal Court is thoughtful and long-term resolution that will prevent Myanmar army to halt lasting violence toward civilians in Southeast Asia region.