Where Is the Arakanese Revolution Heading?

: Zaw Htun (Mrauk - U)

 : 18 September 2021

Written By Zaw Htun (Mrauk-U) 

The Mughal emperors thought they were the largest empire ever built, and the British even described their territory as an empire upon which the sun never set. But empires come and go. On the world map, the borders of countries change one by one, and the flags sometimes change from one colour to another. We can easily say that in the 21st century, new flags and new maps have and will appear. There are people who have established new nations and there are still many who are trying to establish nations. 

I would like to compare some of the countries that have succeeded and also look at how they have failed, and why they remain relevant in the 21st century. 

Czech Republic 

The Czech Republic was formed in 1993. On January 1 of that year, it raised its own flag on the world map, as an independent nation. It was located in what was known as Czechoslovakia before the Czech Republic was established. When I look at the main reasons for the breakup of Czechoslovakia and the emergence of a new Czech Republic, I notice four main features that distinguish the dissolution/independence processes as being both successful and bloodless: 

(1)    A nationalist spirit of wanting to establish one’s own nation;
(2)    Populations and boundaries that can build a nation;
(3)   Having the infrastructure and human resources to run a country;
(4)   Slovakia could not be ignored; with no bloodshed, a split vote was held in the Federal Parliament, with former Czechoslovakia emerging as the new Czech Republic and Slovakia as separate nations. 

Another point is that their people are on average well educated and have a generally peaceful outlook, allowing for the civil consideration of differences as a means of settling disputes. 

East Timor 

East Timor (aka Timor-Leste) is a small island nation in Southeast Asia that became independent on May 20, 2002. East Timor was not only colonised by the Portuguese for many years, but also was subsequently colonised by Indonesia. It’s very interesting to see how East Timor, with just over a million people, defeated Indonesia, many times more powerful, and how it was able to establish itself as an independent nation. Here, too, I will present my point of view in a very simple way. I am aware of the three main points that Timor-Leste’s desire for liberation from slavery was furthered among the international community and at the United Nations by the ability to form an alliance with someone stronger than the enemy, in order to confront the local superpower. 

With an ally like Australia, which has a wide range of political, economic and social interests, not just territorial waters, East Timor has been aided greatly. At the height of the rivalry between communism and democracy, access to the help of the more powerful pro-democracy Australia made it easier and faster to obtain assistance from Western Europe as well as the United Nations. That is why, despite Timor-Leste’s many sacrifices, it eventually won a peaceful referendum, and gained a lot of UN assistance in rebuilding the country after independence. 

South Sudan 

If you look at South Sudan, it is a small, landlocked country in Africa. It seceded from Sudan on July 9, 2011. An analysis of the reasons for gaining independence reveals that the South Sudanese people have been able to identify with the world the distinctive characteristics of segregation, sectarianism, sectarian strife, and ethnic conflict in almost half of Sudan’s borders. 

The world came to realise that these nations would not be at peace without independence after the end of fierce conflict. That is why South Sudan succeeded in becoming an independent nation.  

Somaliland 

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia on May 18, 1991. However, it has not yet become an official country on the world map, as it is not recognised by the African Union, which is made up of countries in Africa including Somalia. Somaliland has its own army, its own police, its own laws, its own courts, its own government, but it is not yet a legal nation.  

The lesson is that the two main components of independence for Somaliland are the lack of consensus of the mainland and the lack of recognition by regional countries, no matter how strong the military struggle for independence as a nation may be. 

Where Is Arakan’s Revolution Moving Toward? 

When I’ve been asked if Arakan State could become a country, I’ll reply: “It will be difficult. But it is possible.”  

Arakan State has a long history of being a de facto nation and has a strong geographical location. It also has a strong literary and artistic heritage, as well as a wealth of resources and infrastructure to provide good food and services to its people. There are people in Arakan State who will be satisfied under an Arakan government and administration that can lead the people to security and development.  

But for Arakan State, the question of how to achieve independence has become a difficult one. Fighting and territorial integrity have been achieved, and the administrative and judicial machinery is functioning well and the Arakan Army/United League of Arakan (AA/ULA) is a de facto government. This revolutionary de facto government has able to balance the Muslim crisis, which no successive de jure government has been able to deal with. If the Arakan Army occupies Arakan State and declares independence, it will have to work hard to get more votes in the UN General Assembly if the five members of the UN Security Council and the 15 permanent members of the Security Council do not object. But the process is not as easy as it sounds. 

• If intense battles, such as those in Syria, were fought on the pathway to independence, would an alliance like that between East Timor and Australia be sought, and relied upon if secured, with a world/regional power? 
• We must try to persuade the United Nations to differentiate between two literary cultures and two religions that have almost identical religious backgrounds.
• If the two territories, which are closely intertwined in economics, education, religion and culture, are suddenly separated by hostility, we must do our best not to be left in the same predicament as South Sudan. 

It is possible that the chief of the Arakan Army said that the first step was to rule Arakan State with a confederate state no less than the “Wa” Self-Administered Division. That is why I have to consider the independence of Arakan State as a difficult but possible proposition

UN body should enter into Myanmar

 What I learned through the Burmese media is that refugees are fleeing to Thailand and India due to the repression and bombing of the Burmese military.

 

But this time it was different from the previous ones. The Burmans themselves, who were building political power to dominate minorities on behalf of the majority Burmans by centered on the military, were among the runners.

 

This is because the ghost that is brought to be alive by Burmans is trying to get them to suck blood back. Now, in the two months since the military coup, the Burmese military has killed more than 400 people ─ but just in one day, the Burmese Army has killed over 300 Arakanese people in the capital city of Sittwe in 1967 when Arakanese people asked the Burmese government to return back their rice which was being taken away to the Burmese region from Arakan and Major Tin Oo of the Burmese Army, who committed massacre and being a criminal was once the most senior leader in NLD party led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

 

After all, the ghost, brought by the majority Burmans to dominate minorities, does not care about its own creator and about the freedom of expression practiced by the

civilized world.  Burmese protesters now call their movement as the Spring Revolution. Well. If we look back at the history of the successes of the revolutions, we can see that it was successful only when it makes the center of the armed revolution. Otherwise, the revolution will only succeed if the government army becomes to join the rebels. It is not easy to succeed by just only protesting in the streets.  

 

Now we have heard that some protestors have gone to the trainee in the jungle to fight Burmese Army when minority ethnic Armies support this movement to overthrow military rule. Therefore, the Burmese Army is bombing that jungle area on the Thailand border, killing nearly  20 Karen villagers and displeasing over 10 thousand. Most of them fled into Thailand but Thailand is pushing them back because this time is so dreadful for Thailand and its citizens due to covid-19.

 

There is nothing in Myanmar to gut out covid-19 and people are more and more gathering everywhere to protest the military coup. This situation is causing very much worry not only for Thailand but also for the world. However, Burmans are still going on without caring covid-19 to protest military coup in a large gathering of people in every city in Myanmar by the time virus is still spreading in large level in the world from man to man that we are to know.

 

This situation of protestors of Burman burdens the world and it makes mankind of the world to be afraid of spreading covid-19. The current hell and the ghost of Myanmar military brought to be alive  to dominate minorities by majority Burman becomes to kill Burman  also in Myanmar should be terminated by entering UN body forces into Myanmar once for forever peace there in Myanmar otherwise there will never be peaceful at each certain time.

The rhetoric of political slogans

From time to tim
e we have heard military coup in Myanmar and anti-military rhetoric. And every time Myanmar calls on the world to help and save. All right.

 

The question is whether they really did the opposition against the military dictator?

If the Burmans do not want a military dictator, the Burmans should disband the Burmese army

and then rebuild a new Army that will be proportional to the ethnic Armies. This would have led to the formation of a federal Army and the disappearance of the military coup in Myanmar. But no Burman has demanded to disband the Myanmar army.

 

Even Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the Burmese protestors currently on the streets in the cities in Myanmar, said that the Myanmar Army was founded by her father which is why the Myanmar army is her brothers. Moreover, she ordered to completely destroy Arakan Army.  Due to instruction of her, Burmese soldiers killed Arakan and Rohingya atrociously and displaced them.  She did a good job.

 

So this time, when the military took power, It is not surprising that Arakan and Rohingya feel sorry for her and her followers. However,  in reality, the Burmans did not oppose Myanmar Army because it was their Army. They only opposed the military coup.

 

If Burmans do not want a military coup in Myanmar, the Burmans need to do the right thing. The Myanmar Army

must be Abolished and form a federal Army with ethnic  Armies in proportion.

 

Protesters on the streets are now chanting slogans against the military coup, calling for the  restoration of so-called democracy based in 2008- constitution. No one shouted for ethnic Armies and the formation of a federal Army.

If Burmans can disband Myanmar Army and establish a federal Army with ethnic Armies,

there will never be another military coup in Myanmar.

 

Whoever gains power, it is the same

 

The ongoing protests in Burma are a showdown between those who have lost political power and those who have gained it. It represents the whole followers of NLD party led by Aung San Suu Kyi. She was also known by the world because of her Burmanism and Democratic dictatorship and her party makes allies to the notorious Myanmar Army to gain political benefit.

What was Aung San Suu Kyi and what did she do not only for Myanmar but also for the world? Everyone knows. Therefore, all the prizes given to her by the international community were revoked when she became a democratic dictatorship.

I guess this protest right now in Myanmar means no movement of changing the political system but gaining power just for them ─ NLD party led by Aung San Suu Kyi ─ because Army has already taken it. But, it is sure that if the party backed by Army won the election, this military coup will not happen. So, there are two majorities parties which is just fighting each other to gain political power. However, a party backed by Army is right now sitting and relaxing behind the Army to gain power next coming time by the time followers of Aung Sun Suu Kyi are desperately fighting day in day out on the streets in the cities in Myanmar.

Myanmar Army is shelling villages of Karen

 The Free Burma Rangers had reported on January 27, 2021 that over 4,000 people are in hiding as Burma Army attacks continue. 3,000 have been displaced in Papun District, Northern Karen State and now over 1,000 IDPS from six villages around Tha Kaw Der and Keh Der, Ler Doh, Nyaunglebin District, western Karen State are displaced.

 

“We had to flee as the Burma Army is shelling us every day," said a mother as she held her baby. Today the Burma Army shelled and shot machine-guns most of the morning but we had no casualties.

 

The Free Burma Rangers said that their teams are providing medical care and trying to get food in but the Burma Army is blocking all access to the area so people have to carry all the rice and find ways around them.

 

They sent message people around the world as follow.

 

(Please pray we can help more and that they feel Jesus's love.

Thank you and God bless you,

The Free Burma Rangers)

 

Myanmar regime leaves the civilians of Arakan in a neglected state

From time to time, Myanmar regime left the civilians of Arakan in a neglected state because it supposes Arakan is historically Burma or Myanmar’s inner enemy and they believe that if they must keep pressing civilians of Arakan, it will only work for them. To prove this, there are a lot of shreds of evidence and how they oppress Arakan currently is as follows.

The mask on the face of Myanmar Human Rights commission was removed and was seen as a very ugly ogre when it accepted Myanmar military statement and  it denied  that Myanmar Military had abducted 19 Arakanese villagers from Timma village, KyaukTaw Township in Arakan, nine months ago.

Family members of missing villagers overheard and got clues that their beloved were forced to work in the Myanmar military camp but some people believe that on the evidence of Myanmar Army’s recent atrocity, it was likely to be that Myanmar Army had massacred (19) villagers and it disposes of them somewhere else.

Even if the commission did not conduct investigation due to the Myanmar Army’s restriction not to do so,  it became unilaterally to accept Myanmar Army’s denial statement.

Nine of the original group of 18 villagers were abducted from Tin Ma New village on March 13, while the other 10 from Tin Ma Gyi village were arrested by Myanmar troops on March 16 — all on suspicions of having ties to the Arakan Army. The body of one of them, Maung Win, was discovered two months later in the Kaladan River, riddled with bullet holes.

Tun Thein, whose brother-in-law Aung Nyunt and brother Aung Tha Pan are among the missing villagers, said he and others are concerned that soldiers may have killed the men.

“We want to know if they are still alive or not,” he said. “That’s why we tried to file the case at the Kyauktaw Myoma Police Station.” But a police officer there told Tun Thein that the relatives would have to file a complaint with the military, not the police.

“The police should have accepted the missing person cases,” Tun Thein said. “We have evidence.” Reported RFA media.

Local Media Narinjara News earlier reported that a group of people approached the officer of Kyauktaw Myoma police station at around 3:30 pm on 8 December to file a case of 21 missing villagers, but the police officer denied it and even threatened them with arrest.

And also a 63-year-old woman has gone to complain about her missing husband after the abduction by Myanmar troops to the police station to file a case about her beloved husband who went missing in March 2020 but the police officer again denied and threatened of her arresting, Narinjara News reported.

Family members of the missing villagers said they have evidence that the Myanmar military abducted their relatives and the soldiers involved wore uniforms with the insignia of Myanmar Army Division No. 55.

An abductee’s wife 63-year-old woman said her husband was arrested before her eyes while he was having foods at home in Tinma village under Kyauktaw township. The Burmese army personnel took him to their camp atop Taung Shay hills located nearby to their village reported Narinjara News.

MNHRC was sent a complaint by four local lawmakers, requesting investigation be conducted and action be taken against the war criminal Myanmar troops for abducting the poor villagers but it was to no avail and one can realize that the
Myanmar regime left the civilians of Arakan in a neglected state.

 

Does Aung San Suu Kyi smear her hands with the blood of people of Arakan again?

Due to the statement released by the Arakan Army to hold an election before December 31, 2020, in northern Arakan where ballot casting was deliberately canceled by the ruling party of Myanmar for the security reason, Myanmar Military has halted its fighting against the Arakan Army and against the civilians of Arakan.

But after Japanese envoy ─ who said that he has realized the ECU, controlled by the ruling party, does not want an election in Arakan ─ visited Arakan to be held an election,  Myanmar Army starts its military build

ing up again in Arakan even if Internally Displaced Persons are going back to their villages where fighting broke out heavily almost every day in the last two years and currently is calm.

In the recent days, local residents have reported that large Myanmar military forces are building up in Rathitaung and Buthitaung townships in Arakan (western Myanmar) and Myanmar Navy is dropping thousands of troops near the mouth of Mayu river to attack the position of Arakan Army from the east side and from the west side near the Mayu mountain.

 In fact, this region is mostly under the control of Arakan Army therefore Arakan Army is aware large troops of the Myanmar Army which is approaching Mayu mountain range gradually again.

Military tension is slowly becoming high between the Arakan Army and Myanmar Army on these days and fighting also can be broken out at any time.

According to local military analysts,  Consequentially, In this region or in these  townships, Arakan Army completely prepares for any type of attack ─ offensive and defensive.

One can remember that government spokesperson Zaw Htay said Myanmar military will assault until the end of the war against the Arakan  Army, the war will prolong and civilians will die from war. In 2019, Aung San Suu Kyi instructed Myanmar Army to crush down Arakan Army and she paid homage Myanmar soldiers for fighting against the Arakan Army. She also ordered the military to use a combination of air, navy, and ground troops to fight against the Arakan Army and she declared the Arakan Army as a terrorist organization.

She still has no friendly thought for Arakan National. Arakan was once independence kingdom  and is now being colonized by Myanmar. She has arrested Arakanese political leader Dr. Aye Maung and nationalist writer Wai Hun Aung and she has done to pass judgment of the judicial court for life sentence to both Dr. Aye Maung and author Wai Hun Aung. They pled judicially petitions to court after court but she forced every court to turn down all petitions.

Therefore, after she forms her new government again, she will resume her intention to crush Arakan Army by ordering the Myanmar Army to launch military offensive operation again against the Arakan army.

Most people of Arakan believe that Aung San Suu Kyi will again participate in the killing field in Arakan from behind the Myanmar Army by instructing her Army in her second term of government. 

 

 

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.