Children in Jade Chaung (Mro) village in Maungdaw Township cannot go to school after Myanmar army soldiers occupied the village’s Basic Education Primary School, locals report.
Since 21 August, about 100 junta soldiers who have taken up positions on the hill south of the village have begun occupying the village school and some houses, local residents said.
“The military council soldiers have been staying at the school for more than five days. They haven’t yet left. The children have also not been able to go to school for five days,” said a man from Jade Chaung village who did not want to be named for security reasons.
Jade Chaung (Mro) village has more than 60 households and over 400 people, with 91 students attending the primary school, residents said.
As the closure of the school affects the children’s education, parents are demanding the withdrawal of troops from the school.
“Our children are already not doing well in school. If the school stays closed like this, it will get worse. If the situation continues like this, we don’t know what to do for our children’s education,” complained one parent.
During the resumption of fighting on 16 November 2022, 13 villagers were killed and more than 30 others injured when artillery shells from the Kyaing Chaung-based Border Guard Police, known locally as Na Ka Kha, slammed into Jade Chuang village, residents said. However, the military council denied the deadly shelling, claiming it was done by the Arakan Army (AA).
With the junta soldiers currently occupying the school, villagers are unable to work on their farms and are concerned that fighting could flare up again.
“We can’t go and work on the farms on the hillside. We are worried that the fighting might flare up again. In the past, they had taken positions in the village and then left. Then they shelled the village with artillery after they left,” said an elderly villager.
DMG attempted to contact Arakan State’s Minister of Security and Border Affairs Colonel Kyaw Thura for comment on the occupation of the school, but received no response.
As the military council and AA have agreed to a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds, military takeover of schools and religious buildings is unacceptable, Arakanese politicians have criticized.
“The military council soldiers are staying in religious, educational and health buildings. However, such actions shouldn’t happen during the ceasefire. This means disrespecting the peace,” said U Aung Thaung Shwe, a former member of parliament.
The AA and the military council reached an informal ceasefire on 25 November 2022 in order to de-escalate the situation in Arakan State.
Sent by DMG.