CNI News
22 July 2022
The resumption of fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Tatmadaw could spread clashes in the entire Rakhine State, Rakhine politician U Pe Than told the CNI.
Before 2020, clashes between the AA and the Tatmadaw mostly broke out in the northern part of Rakhine State but resumption of fighting could spread to at least two thirds of the state, he said.
U Pe Than told the CNI, “Fighting will spread as much as they wish because the ULA/AA mainly controlled administrative, judicial and military affairs only in the northern part of Rakhine State in 2020. However, the AA has expanded its military, political and organizational influence to the central part of the state, where the headquarters of the Western Command of the Tatmadaw is located. Their administrative and judicial branches have expanded their influence even to the southern part of the state. It can be said they have expanded their influence to the entire state. Under the current circumstances, military clashes could spread to at least two thirds of the state. Both sides are able to expand their conflict area as much as they want."
Directions for roads leading to cities in Rakhine State.
At present, the situation between the AA and the Tatmadaw is very tense and the latter have arrested 45 people in Sittwe, Ponnagyun, Mrak-U and Kyauktaw while the former have detained members of security forces including a captain.
Furthermore, fighting between the AA and Tatmadaw broke out on 18 July and the AA arrested 14 members of security forces.
The attack was launched to take revenge for the airstrike of the Tatmadaw against an AA camp in Karen State on 4th July, AA spokesman Khaning Thukha told the Western News.
It is not clear whether the AA and the Tatmadaw held negotiations to prevent escalation of conflicts but U Pe Than said that he was sure neither side wanted to escalate fighting.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets Mr. Sasakawa on 13th November, 2021.
U Pe Than told the CNI, “Whether they held negotiations or not, neither side seems to want to engage in extensive warfare. We can see the same view from both sides. If they want to escalate conflicts, they can do so easily because they have known each other’s posts and the conflict will spread to various places. Sometimes, fighting takes place in a certain place and fighting stops but the ULA/AA has issued warnings to the public that fighting could take place anytime.”
Japan’s special envoy for peace in Myanmar Mr. Sasakawa mediated a ceasefire between the AA and the Tatmadaw after the two groups fought intensely in Rakhine State and Paletwa in Chin State between November, 2018 and November, 2020.
Since then fighting between the two groups stopped under an informal agreement but the situation is tense at present after fighting broke out between them.
