“We earn our living by brewing Nipa palm juice. We solely rely on this business for our livelihood including healthcare and education. Now we have some problems and would like to request the government to support us commercially to distill liquor from Nipa palm juice.”

“Schools as well as government offices are closed during the Thadingyut holiday. All traffic accidents occurred at midnight. Some students from the University of Distance Education arrived in Sittwe to sit for examination. Reckless driving of motorcycles and consumption of liquor may cause most of the traffic accidents.”

“Tuition fees are increasing year after year. When I was a first-year student in 2016, tuition fees were around MMK 55,000. Being a third student this year, tuition fees were increased to over MMK 100,000. The tuition fees doubled within a few years,”

“When our troops surrounded the Tatmadaw’s temporary camp near Tin Nyo village in Mrauk-U Township, the camp guard soldiers ran away. We have seized food and weapons from the camp,” Khaing Thukha, the AA’s spokesperson said.

“The accident happened at around 9 a.m. Now the village is surrounded by the Tatmadaw, and imagination officials are also here to check us. We all have to stay at our house. We don’t know yet what will happen,” a resident in Shin Kharli village said.

A man and a woman were injured from a clash between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA) at around 1 p.m. on October 17 near Pyin Chaung village in Kyauktaw Township, Arakan State.

“Two helicopters fired guns the fighting area, and bullet shells landed on my house and left a hole in the roof. People in the village are safe. We were afraid of the situation but unable to flee our homes because we were worried we would pinned down by gunfire during our exodus. So we just hid under the houses during the barrage of gunfire,”

“We are obliged to say that we were not involved in this issue. But we will question our members because the AA mentioned their names. If they actually took part in the case, we will take the action against them according to our rules,” Colonel Khaing Saw Mya said.

“He was shot three times in his waist and two times in his head. He is now in a serious condition. The doctor in Sittwe hospital said that fragments of the bullets were found in his intestine,” said Daw Hla Kyawt Sein, mother of Nay San Win.

“We are providing it to the students depending on their needs. We ask the students to apply for free tuition and housing, and for food and transportation fees. Some students apply for tuition and housing fees. Some apply only for the tuition fee while others apply for housing and other fees,”

Colonel Win Zaw Oo, head of the Western Command, said that it was quite lucky for the villagers that the Tatmadaw only shot at the AA with heavy weapons.

“I would have liked to carpet bomb them, if possible,” he said.

“They let the women go back home. They got drunk and broke into the shops in the village to get food. They killed the chickens for food as well – they are just doing whatever they please,” Ko Aung San Moe said.

Two brothers from Ywar Thar Yar village in Myebon Township have been missing for eight days, family members said.

No traditional Zat Pwe troupe entertained audiences this year since a new curfew was imposed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. in some townships in Arakan State as a result of armed conflicts between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army (AA) ...

Over 100 suspects were involved in the charge against 23 detained residents from Lekka Village, Mrauk-U Township in Arakan State, according to the defense lawyers.

The 2020 general elections can have an impact on the peace-making process to a certain extent, said General Yawd Serk, acting leader of the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST). 

The Tatmadaw fired artillery shells without any provocation from adversaries resulting in almost all residents of Sin Khon Taing Village in Rathedaung Township fleeing to safer locations, locals said.

Farmers in Kyauk Myaung village tract, Ann Township, have submitted a complaint to the Anti-Corruption Commission alleging that their village-tract administrator and a government surveyor demanded money from them to obtain the No 7 Form for their farmlands.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that they will submit an appeal letter to the King of Thailand on October 21 to reduce the punishment for Win Zaw Tun and Zaw Linn, who have been sentenced to death in Thailand.