Rakhine issues highlighted in United Nations Security Council briefing

The ongoing conflicts in Rakhine State, where the Myanmar military forces and the Arakan Army (AA) fighters have been engaging in gun fighting, were a topic of discussion in the United Nations Security Council briefing on 4 April.

During the open meeting, representatives from the Russian Federation, China, and the United Nations officials discussed the Rakhine issues.

"Root causes of the current problems stem from the past exploitation by western colonial policies and the current problems in Rakhine State are due to London's favourite divide-and-conquer policy," said a representative from Russia.

"There has been a resurgence of conflicts in the Rakhine region and it’s an internal affair of Myanmar. We urge the international community to respect Myanmar's sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom and unity before acting in this regard," said a Chinese diplomat.

"In Rakhine State, fighting between the military  forces and the AA fighters has reached an unprecedented level of violence.  The AA fighters have reportedly gained territorial control over the central Rakhine localities and they are trying to expand their areas to the north," said Khaled Khiari, assistant secretary-general for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific.

They also discussed the security situation of Rohingyas in Rakhine State, provision of humanitarian aid for the local people, importance of preventing the soldiers’ attacks and political oppression, and finally the necessity to halt the military's airstrikes.