CNI News

21 Feb 2023

Deputy Chief of Staff Brig-Gen Khaing Min Soe and two other soldiers from the Arakan Liberation Party/Arakan Liberation Army have been detained by No. 101 Battalion led by Daw Saw Mya Yazar Lin for secretly instigating factionalism among troops of No. 101 Battalion under the Central Command and persuading some of them to join with him.

Brig-Gen Khaing Min Soe and two soldiers from the ALP were reportedly arrested at Sittwe Airport by the Myanmar military because of the request of Daw Saw Mya Yazar Lin and have been detained at No. 101 Battalion. Chairman Khaing Ye Khaing of the ALP wrote a letter to Daw Saw Mya Yazar Lin, saying such arrests are not in line with the rules and regulations of the party and instructed her to release the three immediately.

Daw Saw Mya Yazar Lin reportedly sent a reply to the chairman.

In her letter, Daw Saw Mya Yazar Lin said Brig-Gen Khaing Min Soe violated rules and regulations for a military and party leader by secretly trying to instigate factionalism among the troops and persuading them to join with him and he should have done everything transparently in accordance with rules and regulations without bias.

She added, "I am a vice-chairperson, who has been trying to consolidate the central command. Similarly, commanders and soldiers are trying to do the same. The solidarity of the central command amounts to that of the ALP. After signing the nationwide ceasefire agreement in 2015, the ALP was allowed to open an office in Sittwe and to officially hold talks with the government. The direction of the ALP, which is a signatory to the NCA, is very important. It is very worrisome that he tried to secretly instigate factionalism among five soldiers. If the five soldiers formed a faction, it would be difficult to keep the remaining troops under control. It is not easy to recruit a new soldier."

"After the chief of staff was assassinated, it is important to consolidate the unity among troops. In such a time like this, as the deputy chief of staff, he should not have said that he would disband the entire battalion if his trip was prevented and he should not have instigated factionalism among troops. His moves amounted to disbanding an entire battalion. His wife has done questionable deeds. Instigating factionalism among troops violates the military law."

The CNI contacted Daw Saw Mya Yazar Lin for comments but she was not available immediately.

The ALP signed the NCA together with other seven EAOs on 15 October, 2015.