An interview with Naung Thurein, the political affairs head of the People’s Revolution Alliance (PRA)-Magway
June 24th, 2022
The PRA-Magway is a revolutionary force which emerges to revolutionize the military council. The Than Lwin Times interviewed Naung Thurein, the political affairs head of the PRA-Magway based in Magway Region about its current activities and the relation with the Arakan Army (AA).
Q: May I know the profile of the PRA-Magway and the current process?
A: The PRA-Magway is a force formed with political activists, students, youths and local Asho Chin races. Our force is based in Ngaphe and Saytoketayar. The people from the whole country participate in it as the new trainees are from the whole country. The PRA-Magway is making necessary preparations. We recruit and train the new members. We are drafting the military strategy based on the battle experiences.
Q: How do the people in Magway Region know the PRA-Magway? May I know about the public’s cooperation with the PRA-Magway?
A: We carried out the urban operations at Magway air base. This is our first mission which attacked the Magway air base with rockets. Then, the public came to know about the PRA-Magway. Youths and activists from townships in Magway Region have known that the PRA-Magway represents Magway Region. It is found that the public has placed their hopes in the PRA-Magway. The public in Magway Region gives a lot of encouragement and support to the PRA-Magway.
Q: We have known that the PRA Magway has established an alliance with the Arakan Army (AA). May I know the alliance situation and the force’s future process?
A: The PRA-Magway has established an alliance with the AA. We have a better relationship with the AA. We have got a lot of military and technical assistance from the AA. We are doing the recruitment and preparations to our best. We are giving training to the new members. At the same time, we are arming our members. We plan to implement the controlled areas after the preparations. We are developing military strategies.
Q: There were clashes as the military conducted an offensive in the areas based by the PRA Magway in 2022. How about the current situations on the ground?
A: The enemy carried out an offensive in the areas where the PRA-Magway is active last month. There was large-scale fighting. We could defend the enemy’s offensive to the best of our ability. The enemy conducted an offensive with the use of around 800 members. We could defend it to the best. The enemy withdrew after suffering heavy casualties. At present, there is no enemy’s offensive. According to the news sources from the ground, the enemy is doing patrolling and gunfire in the villages.
Q: The PRA-Magway met Defense Minister U Yee Min on June 19th. Which topics were mainly discussed at the meeting?
A: We met Defense Minister U Yee Mon on June 19th. The meeting mainly focused on the current military activities and the undertakings of the Ministry of Defense (MoD). We coordinated ways of how to cooperate with the PDFs under the MoD. Another point is our force has a few members. We asked for the assistance from the MoD. The MoD said it would provide funds for the rations in the rainy season. But we will have to wait for arms assistance from the NUG. The Defense Minister said the MoD would provide assistance to the PRA as much as it can.
Sent by the Than Lwin Times.
