Prominent Rakhine politician Dr. Aye Maung and author Wai Hun Aung were imposed a long prison term by Sittwe District court on Tuesday, fomenting widespread criticism of Arakan political parties.

The Arakan National Party (ANP) formed an investigative commission on Wednesday to collect documented evidence and other relevant information relating to civilian casualties and destruction of historical buildings during the armed conflicts between the Tatmadaw and AA

“They are ordered to serve two years imprisonment for the charge under section 505(b)- and 20-years imprisonment for the charge under section 122. The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently, and reduce the detention period,”

The Arakan Army sees an invitation by the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) to eight non-signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) is a step in the right direction.

a booth near Htoke Kan Thein pagoda and the Anaut Myay Htel pagoda in Mrauk U have been damaged by the conflict between Tatmadaw and Arakan Army.

An investigation tribunal has been established today (March 18) to review the findings regarding the incidents related to the attack by the ARSA insurgency group in Buthidaung and Maungdaw, the Tatmadaw True News Information Team said in a statement.

The committee released a statement on March 18 in which it said that it felt extremely sorry for the people affected by the armed conflicts and called on the government to provide humanitarian aid as quickly as possible for displaced people.

Although she has poor eyesight, she can recall the memories from the past, and she had been displaced in the war under the Japanese reign during the Second World War.

Three civilians from Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U Townships in Rakhine State received injuries from artillery shells on Saturday.

Ancient pagodas are destroyed because of heavy weapon shells while the government said it was trying to list Mrauk-U region as world heritage site.

Rakhine State Hluttaw representatives U Oo Hla Saw and Daw Htoot May, whose names are included as members of the committee, said that they were not told in advance about the committee and were not asked their opinions.

The meeting of the government’s National Reconciliation and Peace Center and Northern Alliances (collation of four ethnic groups including the AA) on February 25 didn’t get any resolution and finished with the decision to submit discussions to seniors. Then, they need to talk again.

The MSF medical teams previously provided 448 consultations on average every month, but some patients are now depending on other MSF medical teams located far from them, so locals travel long distances, which hurts them financially and could have a detrimental impact on their health, it said.

Villagers have been fleeing from their homes due to 24-hour firing of heavy weapons and attacks from helicopters near two villages in Kyauktaw Township, according to local residents.

Two out of four people from Kyauktaw Township’s two villages, who have been detained under the Unlawful Associations’ Law were released today (March 12) since they were cleared of accusations.

Border guard stations and police outposts in Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Maungdaw and Minbya Townships have been merged for security reason on March 10.

Literature talks that had already been arranged to be held in other Rakhine townships were said to have been cancelled after the conflict broken out in Mrauk-U on 16^th January 2018, according to writers who were invited to talk at the occasions.

Literature talks that had already been arranged to be held in other Rakhine townships were said to have been cancelled after the conflict broken out in Mrauk-U on 16^th January 2018, according to writers who were invited to talk at the occasions. 

MRAUK-U : Literature talks that had already been arranged to be held in other Rakhine townships were said to have been cancelled after the conflict broken out in Mrauk-U on 16^th January 2018, according to writers who were invited to talk at the occasions.

7 civilians are dead and 12 others were injured by police gunfire during a mass protest which occurred in Mrauk-U due to a sudden ban on the literature talk which had been arranged at the Mrauk-U royal palace site. Officials concerned claimed that a permit had been issued only for 15^th January.

The organizers that said that after the Mrauk-U conflict, the government announced that requests for literature talk permits should be submitted to the respective Township administration offices, however, the talks arranged in other townships were cancelled considering the time it would take to get permits.

Pan Thu Khin, a writer to join the talks has said that literature talks arranged to be held after the Mrauk-U conflict were cancelled because the permits had not been granted.

“It is something to question - if the situation has reached its worst point - as a ban on all talks is equally imposed.  Does conformity with laws mean a temporary ban or a permanent ban? It is something to consider if, their legal procedure is correct. Well, in a state like Rakhine, there are no good schools and no effective learning, let alone a library. So it is not easy to develop a habit of reading. So, I just sense that a ban on such talks which means ‘reading through hearing’, is very much like pushing the State into a worst case scenario” said she.

The writer Ba Gyi Kyaw (Sitetway) also affirmed that literature talks were a source of knowledge for people from rural areas, whose literacy and thereby knowledge were highly limited.

Literature talks in Rakhine State were widely held after 2012 and over 100 talks were generally held each year. Currently, Pyithu Hluttaw MP Dr. Aye Maung and the writer Wai Hun Aung, who spoke at the literature talk, which took place on the annual commemoration of the fall of the ancient Rakhine kingdom, are being charged under state treason law.