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“The Myanmar Army blames its defeat on the people and is ethnically attacking the people of Arakan.” U Khaing Thukha (Spokesperson, ULA/AA)

An interview with U Khaing Thukha, Spokesperson for United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA)

November 18, 2022

In recent days, military council forces in Arakan State have been shelling residential villages unprovoked, and the number of casualties is increasing day by day.

Myanmar Peace Monitor (MPM) interviewed ULA/AA Spokesperson U Khaing Thukha about the attacks by the Myanmar’s military on villages in Arakan State and his views.

Q: Yesterday, November 16, military council troops opened fire on villages in Maungdaw and Kyauktaw Townships with artillery, resulting in mass civilian deaths and injuries. Can you please tell me what the AA knows about these situations?

A: Yesterday at around 1 pm, junta forces fired two artillery shells from Border Guard Division 7, known locally as Na Kha Kha. The artillery shells hit a children’s ear-piercing ceremony in Jade Chaung (Mro) village, killing ten children and injuring 24 other civilians who were attending the event. I heard that some of them are being treated in Kyaing Chaung and the seriously injured were taken to Maungdaw hospital. And today at 11 am, Kan Sauk-based Light Infantry Battalions 377 and 539 in Kyauktaw fired probably 14 105-mm artillery shells. The shells fell and exploded in Chaung Tu village, killing two men and injuring two women and one man.

Q: Was there fighting in the neighboring areas of the villages when the military council troops fired artillery? Or why do you think they did that?

A: The Myanmar Army is deliberately shooting and killing our civilians without any fighting. For this, we, the Arakan Army, will retaliate against unjustly shooting and killing innocent civilians whenever the situation allows. On the other hand, this kind of unjustified shooting and killing of civilians who have nothing to do with the war means that they’re committing war crimes. The military leaders in Myanmar will be held accountable for these war crimes.

Q: Due to the continuous shelling of villages with artillery by the military council, the death toll is increasing day by day. What would you like to say about this?

A: The cowardly shelling of civilians by the Myanmar Army without any fighting shows that it lacks the qualities of a real soldier or manliness and cowardice. The Myanmar Army blames its defeat on the people and is ethnically attacking the people of Arakan. The Myanmar Army is unable to advance its troops in ground battles and therefore relies mainly on artillery and air support. The air battles have used helicopters and fighter jets, but now they’re also using drones to attack civilians. They’re now flying drones over residential areas, threatening our people. In other words, the junta is acting cowardly to scare the people of Arakan and destroy their morale so that they’ll not support the Arakan national movements. But our patriotism and desire to be free is shown in the current struggles, which the Myanmar Army hasn’t been able to fully suppress until now. At the same time, the Myanmar Army admits its own defeat.

Q: The people of Arakan are frustrated by the many deaths and injuries in the region. How will the Arakan Army respond to the military council?

A: As the United Arakan League/Arakan Army (ULA /AA), we’ll retaliate in any situation for the unjust killing of our people.

Sent by Khaing Lu Hla (Yoma Myay)

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