June 14th, 2022
Servicemen in Arakan State must be ready for battles, Vice-Chair of the State Administration Council Vice-Senior General Soe Win warned in separate meetings with the officers, other ranks and their families in Sittwe and Buthidaung stations, on June 13th.
According to the military-owned newspapers, Vice-Senior General Soe Win said servicemen must always do training, have military awareness and prepare for battles. The systematic implementation of works in respective regiments, units and stations can cover the whole country.
Servicemen who are assigned the 24/7 duties need to discharge the state’s defence duty. They need to courageously perform the state’s duties with the minds that security is first, security is second and security is third. The military crops are required to be well-versed in the primary objectives and duties.
The Myanmar military is dealing with the situations with restraint in order that the public may not lose their feelings of stable and peaceful life, he added.
There has been over one year of ceasefire between the Myanmar army and the Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State. However, there were four clashes between them during this year. Currently, tension continues to mount.
On the other hand, the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) has been implementing its administrative matters since the ceasefire in Arakan state. The military has shown opposition to the ULA/AA’s undertakings.
U Aung Thaung Shwe, former MP from Buthidaung Township said: “I have known the fact that the AA has controlled around 75 per cent of the ground areas. Fighting erupts when the military council invades the AA-controlled territory. There is no reason for the outbreak of clashes if both sides remain in their controlled areas.
“Due to the military tension, the people from some villages in northern Rathedaung have fled to downtown. The ederly and women are on the priority list. Only men are left in some villages,” Ko Kyaw Min Khaing, an activist from Rathedaung said.
More than 200,000 locals were displaced by the armed conflicts between the Myanmar army and the AA since early December, 2018. More than 60,000 refugees remain at the Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps.
The Arakan people displaced by the over two-year-long armed conflicts are worried about the resumption of fighting.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG)