Over 200 Rakhine civilians remain in military custody despite 3-month negotiation for release by ULA/AA

Narinjara News, February 28, 2023

During the resurgence of fighting in Rakhine state, the Military Council detained 594 Rakhine

civilians. Although 391 have been released, 203 remain in detention.

ULA/AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha said “ We are coordinating step by step to secure the release of innocent civilians who were arrested. However despite our efforts, there has been no progress in securing their release. The truth is that this matter should have been resolved by the beginning of this year.”

The United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) has been in negotiations with the Military Council for their release for three months, but so far they have not been released.

On February 27th, U Khaing Thuka, the Information Officer for the ULA/AA, addressed the ongoing detention of Rakhine civilians during the organization’s 7th press conference. In spite of three months of negotiations between the ULA/AA and the Military Council, the detained Rakhine civilians have not been released.

He added that , “Some of these people have been sentenced by the Myanmar military, some have been held in arbitrary detention after repeated trials, and some have been prosecuted with

additional articles,” he said.

Thanks to the intervention and coordination efforts of Mr. Sasakawa, the chairman of the Nippon

Foundation and Japan’s special envoy for national reconciliation in Myanmar, a cease-fire agreement has been reached between the AA and the Military Council since November 26, 2022.

On the other hand, the military junta has been supplying weapons, soldiers, and food from various townships to its bases every day since the cease-fire, Rakhine residents said.