Narinjara News, May 21, 2025

The telephones belonging to families of Rakhine national soldiers in Kyauk Phyu based junta battalions have been confiscated by high authorities due to leak of information, said a family member of Rakhine soldiers.

She said that the mobile phones of the Rakhine soldier’s members living in the battalions based in Kyaukphyu Township have been confiscated in recent days, claiming that there have been leaks of internal information.

 “Before, we could still communicate with each other on our own phones inside the battalion. Now we can’t. My aunt used to call us very often. Now, I hear that the phones have been confiscated. They think that information from the battalion has reached the outside world and have blocked it,” he said.

In Kyuak Phyu, there are three battalions and some navy basses where many Rakhine national are serving as soldiers who are living inside the family quarters along with their families. 

After the confiscation, the family members of Rakhine soldiers are forced to contact their families in exile only through the office line phone, a person close to them told Narinjara.

“The phone has been confiscated. But if you want to call, you can call through the office phone. We are closely monitoring by them,” he said.

On May 18, the junta battalions based in Kyaukphyu held a ceremony to propitiate (nats) traditionally intending to fail of AA in the battles in Kyauk Phyu and the soldiers chant together “ the AA must be fail” during the ceremony.

After news of the apparition emerged, their mobile phones confiscated and their living conditions were even more restrictive than before.

Regarding the confiscation of phones, CDM Captain Zin Yaw said, “Confiscating phones is a completely barbaric act by the military council. We have also experienced it. All SIM cards were confiscated. I myself have experienced it as an officer. We don’t like it. Because if you don’t use this SIM card, you don’t use it. Why are you confiscating it? We bought it with our money. That’s the situation. But the generals are in control. They do whatever they want. That’s what I have to say.”

In Kyauk Phyu, there are  No (32) Police Battalion, LIB (34), Light Infantry Battalion (542), Light Infantry Battalion (543), Dhanyawady Naval Headquarters, Taung Maw Naval Base, and Ohn Kwein Naval Base, and is currently engaged in fierce fighting with the AA.

The Rakhine family members in junta battalions are under close surveillance by the military council, and are restricted from entering and leaving the camp, fearing that they may defect to the Arakan Army (AA), resulting in a difficult living and food situation.

Photo: The front of the RMC's 34th Battalion in Kyaukphyu Township, seen in 2022.