Vox Pop: Still no ceasefire for war-ravaged Arakan State?

27 Aug 2020

On August 24, the Tatmadaw announced that it was extending a unilateral ceasefire until the end of September in order to facilitate efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic and honour its obligations under recent peace agreements. But like its original declaration made in May, the renewal does not include “areas where terrorist groups declared by the government take positions.”

With the government having declared the Arakan Army a terrorist organisation earlier this year, the ceasefire presumably does not apply then to Arakan State, nor Chin State’s Paletwa Township, where AA forces are operational. Conflict between the AA and the military has persisted in the region since late 2018.

DMG reporter Hnin Nwe asked a handful of stakeholders in Arakan State for their thoughts on the apparent omission of a significant portion of western Myanmar from the Tatmadaw’s recent ceasefire extension, amid an ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in Arakan State.

U Khaing Kaung San, Director of Wan Lark Foundation (Arakan State)

Military operations should be halted during the outbreak of COVID-19. If the Tatmadaw will cease fire, it needs to consider the areas in Arakan State. It said it extended its unilateral ceasefire apart from the areas of terrorist organisations. People have said this is not justifiable, because if it declares a ceasefire, it should include all areas in the Union, whether a terrorist group is existing there or not.

On August 22, five people from Kyaukyan Thazi village in Rathedaung Township were injured due to artillery shells landing in the village.

And military operations are seen in towns’ areas. This shows the Tatmadaw is trying to eliminate the AA.

The government did not [fully] restore the internet in Arakan State amid COVID-19 infections; it shows the government’s measures are quite inhumane. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says prohibiting people’s access to information amounts to breaching human rights.

So, the government should restore 4G internet in Arakan State if it has a humanitarian spirit.

U Maung Maung Soe, political analyst

There will be a bad impact on prevention, treatment and providing awareness of COVID-19 in Sittwe and northern Arakan State townships, where COVID-19 is spreading because of ongoing clashes.

I think it will be difficult to make peace as long as war cannot be stopped in conflict-affected areas. If there is a clash, both the Tatmadaw and AA deny they opened fire. Anyway, clashes will be intensifying if there are offensive operations from either side.

U Pe Than, Pyithu Hluttaw MP for Myebon Township

The Tatmadaw says it is an organisation protecting the people. Currently, there is no other matter more important than the COVID-19 issue. The pandemic might infect all areas in the entire country, not only Arakan State. Some organisations requested to halt fighting in the areas where COVID-19 is spreading rapidly.

In this situation, a Tatmadaw that is people-centred should look out for the best interests of the people. It is a time to reduce its military operations and protect the people, by taking consideration of the concerns and sufferings of people vis-à-vis COVID-19.

Ko Bekka, activist and relief worker

Arakan State is currently facing various troubles due to the armed conflict in the state. While people are being displaced from homes, the COVID-19 infections become a challenge for them.

Meanwhile, the Tatmadaw said the areas in which the AA exists — because it has been declared a terrorist organisation — is not included in its extension of the unilateral ceasefire declaration; it shows the government and the Tatmadaw do not give consideration to our Arakan State, where people are facing different troubles. It should not happen.

The government should see what kind of troubles people are facing. The Tatmadaw — which said it is protecting the country — and the government are responsible for these situations.

The government and the Tatmadaw are doing it intentionally on the whole Arakanese race as a form of genocide, I think.

They lack responsibility and accountability because they have imposed internet shutdowns amid the COVID-19 outbreak. So, Arakanese people condemn the decision to exclude Arakan State from the Tatmadaw’s extension of its unilateral ceasefire.

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