[🇧🇩] Insurgencies in Myanmar. Implications for Bangladesh

[Saif]

16 more Myanmar troops enter Bangladesh

At least 16 more Myanmar Border Guard Police and army personnel have sought shelter to the Bangladesh authorities after crossing the international border last couple of days amid...

www.newagebd.net

16 more Myanmar troops enter Bangladesh
Staff Correspondent 16 April, 2024, 00:12

File photo

At least 16 more Myanmar Border Guard Police and army personnel have sought shelter to the Bangladesh authorities after crossing the international border last couple of days amid the on-going conflict between the Myanmar's military junta and ethnic Arakan Army.

Of them, two members of the Myanmar army crossed the border at Naikhyangchhari in Bandarban, while the rest of them crossed Tekhnaf in Cox's Bazar until early hours of Monday.

All of them were taken to the Border Guard Bangladesh custody in Naikhyangchhari, said Lieutenant Colonel Md Mahiuddin Ahmed, commanding officer of the Teknaf BGB

They entered through the Kharangkhali border in Teknaf, with arms and ammunition, in two phases, he said, adding that the BGB seized their weapons and took them into custody. Two came with wounds and were put under treatment.

Since March 11, at least 196 Myanmar soldiers and border force members crossed the border and sought shelter to the Bangladesh authorities.

On February 15, 330 Myanmar nationals, including 302 BGP officials and four of their family members, two army members, 18 immigration members, and four civilians, entered Bangladesh and were returned to their country later.​

 

[Saif]

In a rebel-held Myanmar town, fragile unity pushes junta to brink

Myawaddy, a critical trading post in Myanmar that rebel forces seized from the ruling junta last week, offers a glimpse of dynamics playing out across the Southeast Asian country as its vaunted military reels from battlefield losses...

www.newagebd.net

In a rebel-held Myanmar town, fragile unity pushes junta to brink
New age Desk 18 April, 2024, 23:25

Myawaddy, a critical trading post in Myanmar that rebel forces seized from the ruling junta last week, offers a glimpse of dynamics playing out across the Southeast Asian country as its vaunted military reels from battlefield losses, reports Yahoo News Canada.

At the border town's outskirts, the site of the most intense fighting, abandoned homes sat next to buildings pockmarked with bullet holes, gas stations damaged by blasts and structures flattened by airstrikes, Reuters reporters saw on a visit this week.

Rebels who fought against junta troops in Myawaddy described a demoralised military that was unwilling to hold its ground.

'We managed to seize three bases and control the area in a very short period of time,' said Saw Kaw, a commander of a rebel unit involved in the battle for Myawaddy. 'Then, they fled.'

Guards from ethnic militias until recently loyal to the military administration roamed streets in the town — normally a conduit for over $1 billion of annual border trade with nearby Thailand. Those fighters stood aside when forces led by the Karen National Union laid siege in early April.

Reuters gained rare access to rebel-held territory on Monday and interviewed seven resistance officials for this story, alongside three Thai officials with detailed knowledge of the conflict and four security analysts.

They provided insight into the delicate diplomacy between armed groups with longstanding rivalries as they seek to hold key population centres and keep the junta they want to topple on the backfoot.

The fall of Myawaddy means that Myanmar's two most important land border crossings are in resistance hands, after the rebels last year claimed control of Muse, near the Chinese border.

Rebel successes have now cut off the cash-strapped junta from almost all the country's major land borders, with the economy in free-fall and poverty doubling since 2017, according to UN data.

The Thailand-based Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar think-tank said in an estimate after Myawaddy's fall that the junta has been deprived of 60 per cent of land-based customs revenue.

It leaves the junta, which has failed to repel any major rebel offensive since October, in its weakest position since its 2021 coup against Aung San Suu Kyi's elected civilian government, according to analysts.

Neighbours such as Thailand, who were previously focused on engaging the junta, have started to rethink their stance on the conflict.

Thai vice foreign minister Sihask Phuangketkeow told Reuters on Wednesday that Thai security officials have been in communication with the KNU and other groups and that they were 'open to more dialogue,' particularly on humanitarian issues.

'We don't blindly side with the Myanmar military but because we want peace we have to talk to them,' he said.

A junta spokesperson did not respond to calls from Reuters seeking comment.

Junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing has accused rebel groups of seeking to undermine Myanmar's unity through armed insurgency and his government has called resistance fighters 'terrorists.'

The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army and Karen National Army, the forces still patrolling parts of Myawaddy and its vicinity even after they abandoned the junta, did not return requests for comment. The groups have not pledged loyalty to the resistance.

At the western edge of Myawaddy, Colonel Nadah Htoo, a senior commander of Brigade 6 of the KNU's armed wing, one of Myanmar's oldest ethnic fighting forces, was thinking about next steps after leading the patchwork of resistance fighters that defeated the army in roughly a week.

Surrounded by armed guards as he chewed betel leaves and peered over his Louis Vuitton sunglasses, Nadah Htoo described on-going talks with other ethnic armed groups about fighting the junta locally. Reuters has also reported that recent coordination between rebel armies in other parts of Myanmar has taken place at an unprecedented level.

For decades, the country of 55 million has been riven by insurgencies along its borderlands, where some two dozen ethnic armed groups operate. Many of them are part of, or supporting, the resistance.

Nadah Htoo and another resistance official acknowledged the challenges of maintaining cooperation over the course of what both expect will be a difficult war against a better-armed military.

'We have to constantly coordinate so there won't be any mistake,' the colonel told Reuters. He declined to be photographed or filmed until the operation ended, citing security concerns.

In Myawaddy, Reuters observed at least three armed groups coordinating to maintain control, reflecting recent rare cooperation among rebel forces that share a common enemy in the junta but otherwise have different interests.

Most of the rebels who took Myawaddy were ethnic Karen, though they fought along some ethnic Burman members of the national resistance, said rebel commander Saw Kaw.

'The first thing (is that) we don't kill each other,' said spokesman Saw Taw Nee of tensions between his KNU and other ethnic Karen groups that were allied to the junta until this month. 'And then we start from that.'

Last October, three rebel groups, including the powerful Arakan Army, led Operation 1027, a major offensive that saw the resistance take wide swathes of military-controlled areas along the border with China.

'After 1027, we saw the AA in Arakan starting to push. When the AA eased, then we decided to push,' said KNU's Nadah Htoo, describing how different rebel groups were hitting the military with successive offensives across multiple areas.

The junta 'is fighting the war on too many fronts,' said Lalita Hanwong, an assistant professor at Thailand's Kasetsart University.

'If you look back from the beginning of Operation 1027, the towns that the resistance forces seized have never been regained.'

In the battle for Myawaddy, KNU-led forces encircled the town and pushed the local junta administration to the point of collapse before taking over, said Nadah Htoo.​

 

[Saif]

Create right conditions for Rohingya repatriation: G7

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries have stressed the need to create conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of all Rohingya refugees and displaced persons to Myanmar

www.thedailystar.net

Create right conditions for Rohingya repatriation: G7

Photo: Collected

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries have stressed the need to create conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of all Rohingya refugees and displaced persons to Myanmar.

They also called for justice and accountability for atrocities committed against Rohingyas and other ethnic communities in Myanmar.

They, in a joint statement, also reiterated their call on all states to prevent or cease the flow of arms and other dual-use materials, including jet fuel, into Myanmar.

They urged the Myanmar military to immediately cease any violence, release all prisoners arbitrarily detained including the democratically elected leaders and establish an inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders to restore the path towards a meaningful and durable democratic process.

"We also reiterate our call on the Myanmar military to respect human rights and international humanitarian law, to desist from any form of forced labour and to allow prompt, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all displaced persons and people in need," said the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union in their statement issued by the US Department of State on Friday.

They will continue to support Asean's efforts to promote a credible and inclusive process to achieve the swift implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.

"We highlight the importance of a comprehensive implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 2669 (2022) and support the UN's further engagement in the crisis, including through the leadership of the newly appointed UN Special Envoy on Myanmar and through the designation of a Resident Coordinator in country," said the G7 countries, noting that accountability for serious crimes committed in Myanmar remains essential.

The G7 countries reiterated their strong condemnation of the military coup in Myanmar and reaffirm our support and solidarity with the people of Myanmar in their quest for peace, freedom, and democracy.

The continuing attacks by the military destroying civilian infrastructure (including homes, schools, places of worship and hospitals), the repeated and serious violations of human rights and the alarming humanitarian situation – which particularly affect those in most vulnerable situations, including children, women and members of minority religious and ethnic groups – are unacceptable.

"We also condemn the recent implementation of the 2010 conscription law by the military regime," they said.

The forced recruitment of young people can only lead to further violence and trigger a massive exodus to neighbouring countries, according to the joint statement.​

 

[Saif]

24 more Myanmar troops enter Bangladesh

At least 24 more personnel of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police crossed international borders with firearms and ammunition and sought shelter in Bangladesh amid...

www.newagebd.net

24 more Myanmar troops enter Bangladesh
Staff Correspondent 19 April, 2024, 11:44

At least 24 more personnel of Myanmar's Border Guard Police crossed international borders with firearms and ammunition and sought shelter in Bangladesh amid continued fighting between Myanmar junta forces and ethnic rebel group Arakan Army between Thursday night and Friday evening, officials said.

Border Guard Bangladesh public relations officer Shariful Islam said that a total of 285 Myanmar personnel had taken shelter in Bangladesh since March 11.

All but 13 personnel entered through land borders in Bandarban and Cox's Bazar, officials from the bordering areas said.

The 13 personnel sought assistance from the Bangladesh Coast Guard on the Naf River on Thursday night and were later taken into custody of BGB authorities.

Later on Friday evening, the BGB headquarters said 11 others sought shelters crossing the Jhimonbkhali and Hatimarajhiri borders.

Bangladesh border guard officials told New Age that they had learned that a large number of soldiers were dismantled following a clash with the Arakan Army, and small groups were trying to sneak into Bangladeshi territories to save their lives with the hope of repatriation to their homeland soon.

A senior BGB official said that they had disarmed them and taken them to safe custody, where they would be quizzed for their ranks and files in the force they belong to.

A home ministry official said they were yet to finalise the repatriation date as the Myanmar soldiers kept coming.

In early February, 330 members of Myanmar security forces, including BGP, army personnel, and immigration officials, took shelter in Bangladesh.

On February 15, they were handed over to the Border Guard Police of Myanmar amid tight security.

Thailand-based news portal The Irrawaddy reported this week that the junta was now facing its most serious threat after losing control of strategic border regions adjacent to India, China, and Bangladesh.

Beijing, meanwhile, has urged all warring parties in Myanmar to halt hostilities and begin peace talks after escalating clashes saw the military regime lose more territory, including another major border town last week.

The message came as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed inquiries on recent developments in Myanmar, including the fall of Myawaddy, at a press briefing on Tuesday.​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar army, BGP personnel will be repatriated Monday: FM

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has said the government has finalised plans for the second phase of repatriation of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police and army personnel who fled the conflict between junta forces and armed insurgents. “Many members of the BGP and the army have sought refuge i

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Myanmar army, BGP personnel will be repatriated Monday: FM
Hasan Mahmud says 150 Bangladeshi citizens stranded in Myanmar will return by ship
BDNEWS24.COM
Published :
Apr 19, 2024 20:47
Updated :
Apr 19, 2024 20:47

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has said the government has finalised plans for the second phase of repatriation of Myanmar's Border Guard Police and army personnel who fled the conflict between junta forces and armed insurgents.

"Many members of the BGP and the army have sought refuge in Bangladesh, including some who arrived this morning," he told reporters at the foreign ministry on Friday.

"So far, a total of 285 individuals have taken shelter in our country. We are currently negotiating with them for their return. We have granted clearance for Myanmar to take them back by ship on April 22."

"However, whether they can be transported on April 22 depends on the sea and overall situation there. Myanmar has agreed to their repatriation, and they will be returned via waterways, " Hasan added.

He added that 150 Bangladeshi citizens stranded in Myanmar will return onboard ships arranged for the repatriation.

On Feb 15, the government repatriated a total of 330 individuals, including members of Myanmar's border guards and armed forces, who had fled the conflict in Rakhine State.

The group included 302 BGP personnel, four of their family members, two army men, 18 immigration officials and four civilians.​

 

[Saif]

Hundreds of Rohingyas await to enter Bangladesh

Breaking News, International News & Multimedia

thedailynewnation.com

Hundreds of Rohingyas await to enter Bangladesh
22 Apr 2024, 12:00 am
Staff Reporter :

Thousands of Rohingyas have sought refuge along the banks of the Naf River on the Myanmar side, waiting to cross into Bangladesh amidst escalating conflict between the military junta and rebel factions in the Arakan region.

Sources report that Myanmar is in turmoil due to the ongoing warfare between the junta and armed rebel groups.

According to reports, hundreds of Rohingya men, women, and children have gathered on the banks of the Naf River near Teknaf, attempting to enter Bangladesh.

In response, law enforcement authorities are taking stringent measures to prevent Rohingya infiltration into Bangladesh.

Law enforcement is maintaining a vigilant watch both day and night to ensure tight security.

Despite these efforts, locals claim that several Rohingyas have managed to clandestinely enter Bangladesh.

It's estimated that around 2,000 Rohingyas are seeking to enter Bangladesh, hiding in various areas along the border.

Additionally, there have been instances of pushback after the detention of some Rohingyas arriving by boat. This situation has persisted along the border for several days.

Sources said several thousand Rohingyas have come and taken shelter in different places on Shahporir Island since April 11, (the night of Eid).

They took shelter with their relatives in Rohingya camps. However, BGB claims that they are not aware of any Rohingya infiltration.

Meanwhile, pushbacked Rohingya claims, this time, along with the Myanmar army, the Arakan Army (AA), the armed forces of the Mugads, have attacked the Muslim minority in Rakhine. They are trying to move away as the conflict escalates.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard held a Rohingya-laden boat carrying 26 people while infiltrating along the Golapara Jhowban near the Naf River on Shahparir Island on Tuesday.

A Coast Guard official confirmed this information and said that the Rohingyas who infiltrated will be pushed back after verification.

According to Rohingya sources, several thousand Rohingyas are currently hiding in Mandipara Char across the Naf River, trying to enter Bangladesh through Shahparir Island. Sensing the opportunity, they are waiting to infiltrate.

Locals said there was a movement of suspects in the Jhowbagan and Kachubaniya remote fields of Teknaf Shahparir Island. Local people usually avoid going there because of the remoteness and poor communication system.

BGB members are not easily seen patrolling there. Rohingyas are trying to enter Bangladesh by choosing this difficult route.

Meanwhile, local people said that some Rohingyas have entered by getting help from four brokers on Shahparir Island. They alleged that the brokers take Tk 20,000 to 25,000 per person.

Most of the fleeing Rohingyas are residents of Buthedong village in Rakhine. Several of them are from some villages in Mangdu.​

 

[Saif]

JS body fears Myanmar border situation may deteriorate

The ongoing tense situation in Myanmar, bordering Bangladesh’s Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar, is likely to worsen next month, and as a result, more Rohingya people and...

www.newagebd.net

JS body fears Myanmar border situation may deteriorate
Staff Correspondent 28 April, 2024, 23:53

The ongoing tense situation in Myanmar, bordering Bangladesh's Bandarban and Cox's Bazar, is likely to worsen next month, and as a result, more Rohingya people and Myanmar nationals could attempt to infiltrate into Bangladesh, the Jatiya Sangsad standing committee on home ministry observed.

Such apprehension was expressed in a report placed in the meeting of the committee held in the parliament building on Sunday.

The report presented on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border situation said that by May 2024, the conflict situation in the region bordering Teknaf was likely to deteriorate further, several JS officials confirmed New Age.

'This could lead to increased attempts by the Rohingya people and members of Myanmar Border Police to enter Bangladesh,' the report stated.

The report highlighted the risks faced by Bangladesh due to the worsening situation along the Myanmar border.

The risks include influx of Myanmar nationals, including Rohingya, security threat along the unprotected land and marine borders of Bangladesh and Myanmar, smuggling of Rohingya rations, drug trading, subversive activities by terrorist groups, and the smuggling of firearms.

The report said that the Arakan Army could try to destabilise the Chittagong Hill Tracts area by taking advantage of its affinity with local ethnic communities.

According to meeting insiders, in the previous meeting of the committee, the senior secretary of the public security department of the home ministry mentioned that effective action was not taken against the culprits after the Bayley Road fire.

Referring to the Bayley Road fire incident, he said that often a crackdown starts after an incident before everything becomes business as usual within a short time.

According to the press release of the Parliament Secretariat, the committee has recommended action against juvenile gangs in addition to urging everyone to come forward to eliminate drugs.

In the meeting, the committee recommended that all forces under the home ministry should be more aware and vigilant in maintaining law and order.

Committee members and home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Shamsul Alam Dudu, Samil Uddin Ahmed Shimul, Moyj Uddin Sharif, Sanowar Hossain, Chayan Islam, Md Saddam Hossain,

and Hasina Bari Chowdhury attended the meeting presided over by committee chairman Benjir Ahmed.​

 

[Saif]

Three Bangladeshis injured in mine explosions along Myanmar border in Bandarban

Three Bangladeshis have been injured in two separate incidents of landmine explosions at Naikhongchhari in Bandarban along the Myanmar border. Two people were injured in the first blast near border pillar No. 47 in the Fultali area on Saturday night and the second explosion in the same area injure

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Three Bangladeshis injured in mine explosions along Myanmar border in Bandarban
Published :
May 05, 2024 20:30
Updated :
May 05, 2024 20:30

Three Bangladeshis have been injured in two separate incidents of landmine explosions at Naikhongchhari in Bandarban along the Myanmar border.

Two people were injured in the first blast near border pillar No. 47 in the Fultali area on Saturday night and the second explosion in the same area injured a third person on Sunday morning, said Nurul Absar Emon, chairman of Naikhongchhari Sadar Union Council.

All of them crossed the border into Myanmar illegally to bring cattle, Absar said.

The injured are Md Rafique from Ramu in Cox's Bazar, Mohammad Abdullah of Garjania, and Rashid Ahmed of Kachchhapia, reports bdnews24.com.

One of the explosions caused the dismemberment of Abdullah's both legs. He was sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.

The two others were transferred to Cox's Bazar District Hospital.

Md Ashikur Rahman, resident medical officer of the district hospital, said one of the injured was brought in a critical condition on Saturday night and the other on Sunday morning.

Saber Ahmed, member of Naikhongchhari Sadar Union, said Border Guard Bangladesh strengthened security along the border.

Bangladeshis experienced casualties in mine blasts along the Myanmar border several times in the recent years amid intense fighting between the Myanmar military and rebels in the Rahine state.​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar armed group captures hundreds of junta personnel

A Myanmar ethnic armed group said on Monday it had captured a military command and taken hundreds of junta personnel prisoner in...

www.newagebd.net

Myanmar armed group captures hundreds of junta personnel
Agence France-Presse . Bangkok 07 May, 2024, 00:36

A Myanmar ethnic armed group said on Monday it had captured a military command and taken hundreds of junta personnel prisoner in western Rakhine state, the latest blow to the military.

Clashes have rocked Rakhine since the Arakan Army attacked security forces in November, ending a ceasefire that had largely held since the junta's 2021 coup.

The military still holds the state capital Sittwe but AA fighters have seized territory in surrounding districts, including bases on the border with India and Bangladesh.

A video released by the AA's media channel said the group had captured 'Military Operations Command 15' near the town of Buthidaung, around 90 kilometres north of Sittwe.

The video did not say when its fighters had captured the site but local media have reported regular clashes around Buthidaung in recent days.

'The video record of the deputy commander of MOC 15 after a certain period of siege,' read a message published in Burmese, Chinese and English.

After a 'final assault' the junta troops had 'faced total defeat and surrendered,' it said.

Images showed a long line of men, some wearing what appeared to be military uniforms, walking single file through a field.

Some were in shorts and T-shirts and sandals while others were not wearing any footwear. Some shots showed women and children accompanying the men.

One man with a bandage around his knee was limping and some were being carried in makeshift stretchers.

The video also showed around 200 people sitting in rows in a clearing and men in uniform and guns watching over them.

AFP has attempted to contact a junta spokesman for comment.

The AA is one of several armed ethnic minority groups in Myanmar's border regions, many of whom have battled the military since independence from Britain in 1948 over autonomy and control of lucrative resources.

The AA claims to be fighting for more autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine population.

In 2019 clashes between the AA and the military roiled the region and displaced around 2,00,000 people.

In 2017 the military launched a crackdown on the Rohingya minority there that is now the subject of a United Nations genocide court case.

Since the November outbreak, fighting had spread to 15 of Rakhine state's 17 townships, the UN's human rights chief said last month.

Hundreds have been killed or wounded and more than 3,00,000 displaced, it said.​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar conflicts hinder repatriation of Rohingyas

Breaking News, International News & Multimedia

thedailynewnation.com

Myanmar conflicts hinder repatriation of Rohingyas
6 May 2024, 12:00 am

Staff Reporter :

The ongoing conflict between the Myanmar Army and Arakan Army forces continues to impede the establishment of a safe environment for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees who sought shelter in Bangladesh in 2017.

The intensity of the fighting has led to Myanmar Army personnel seeking refuge across the border in Bangladesh to ensure their safety, as they reportedly struggle to withstand the attacks from the Arakan forces.

On Sunday, a group of 88 members of the Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) crossed into Bangladesh through the Teknaf border, armed and seeking protection from the fierce clashes.

They surrendered to the Teknaf Coast Guard at the Shahparir and Nazirpara border areas, as confirmed by Lt. Tahsin Rahman, a media official of Coast Guard Chattogram (East).

Lt. Rahman stated, "The surrendered BGP members would be handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) soon."

The official further added that they are ready for any situation along the border.

Mohammad Islam, a local resident, said, "We have been hearing gunfire from within Myanmar and witnessing the influx of BGP members seeking refuge in Bangladesh.

Additionally, we have also heard that there are reports of Rohingyas attempting to enter Bangladesh through the border."

Previously, a total of 618 members of the BGP and Myanmar military were sent back to their countries twice. Of these, 288 BGP military personnel were repatriated on April 25 and 330 on February 15 by Bangladesh.

Despite numerous attempts, the repatriation of Rohingya Muslims to their homes in Rakhine State has not been implemented, even six years after the initial displacement in 2017.

The international community has always vowed to create a safe, durable, and sustainable environment before commencing any repatriation process.

Even a group of Rohingya individuals who visited Rakhine last year reported that they did not find a safe environment for their return. Though China is mediating to resolve the crisis through the repatriation process, several tripartite meetings were also held, including the Kunming meeting in April last year.

However, Western countries, which are funding assistance for the Rohingyas, have expressed concerns about the lack of a favourable environment in Rakhine and the reluctance of the Rohingyas to return amid the volatile atmosphere. Even the United Nations said that repatriation of the Rohingyas amid a volatile situation would not be correct until a favourable condition prevailed there.

In recent months, fierce fighting between the Myanmar Army and Arakan Army has intensified, creating an atmosphere of fear along the borders. In the last several months, there has been fierce fighting between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army, creating an environment of fear along the borders.

Many mortar shells and bullets entered Bangladeshi territory during the clashes along the borders. The local residents of Bangladesh were also evacuated to avoid any casualties.

At that time, the Myanmar Army entered Bangladesh to save their lives, although they were handed over later when the situation improved.

The trend of entering Bangladeshi territory by the Myanmar Army and BGP members, however, is not being stopped, which is a clear sign of a volatile situation there.

But the lingering of conflicts is creating a burden for Bangladesh as the Rohingya repatriation process is not yet within sight.​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar displaced now at 3m: UN

The number of displaced people in Myanmar has reached three million, the United Nations said, the vast majority forced to flee their homes by conflict unleashed by the military’s 2021 coup...

www.newagebd.net

Myanmar displaced now at 3m: UN
Agence France-Presse . Yangon 08 May, 2024, 23:13

The number of displaced people in Myanmar has reached three million, the United Nations said, the vast majority forced to flee their homes by conflict unleashed by the military's 2021 coup.

Around 2.7 million have fled since the putsch that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's government after a short-lived experiment with democracy.

The coup sparked renewed clashes with established ethnic armed groups and birthed dozens of new 'People's Defence Forces' that the military has failed to crush.

'Myanmar stands at the precipice in 2024 with a deepening humanitarian crisis,' the UN's resident coordinator in the country said in a statement released on Monday.

An estimated one-third of those displaced are children, according to the statement.

Around half of the three million have been displaced since late last year, when an alliance of ethnic armed groups launched an offensive across northern Shan state, the statement said.

The offensive seized swathes of territory and lucrative trade crossings on the China border, posing the biggest threat to the junta since it seized power.

Myanmar's borderlands are home to a plethora of ethnic armed groups, many of whom have battled the military since independence from Britain in 1948 over autonomy and control of lucrative resources.

The UN said a severe funding shortfall was hampering its relief efforts, particularly ahead of the May-June cyclone season.

Last year cyclone Mocha smashed into western Myanmar's Rakhine state, killing at least 148 people.

More than 3,55,000 people are currently displaced in western Rakhine state, which has been rocked since November by clashes between the Arakan Army and the military, the UN said.​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar's opposition gains ground in conflict, civilian casualties mount

Six months into an offensive against Myanmar ’s military government, opposition forces have made massive gains, but civilian casualties are rising sharply as regime troops increasingly turn toward scorched-earth tactics in the Southeast Asian country's bitter civil war, reports AP. The

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Myanmar's opposition gains ground in conflict, civilian casualties mount
Published :
May 09, 2024 11:41
Updated :
May 09, 2024 11:41

Six months into an offensive against Myanmar 's military government, opposition forces have made massive gains, but civilian casualties are rising sharply as regime troops increasingly turn toward scorched-earth tactics in the Southeast Asian country's bitter civil war, reports AP.

There is pressure on all fronts from powerful militias drawn from Myanmar's ethnic minority groups and newer resistance forces. Troops are retaliating with air, naval and artillery strikes on hospitals and other facilities where the opposition could be sheltered or aided.

"When the mass of people rise up against them, I think it terrifies them," said Dave Eubank, a former U.S. Special Forces soldier who founded the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian aid organization that has provided assistance to both combatants and civilians in Myanmar since the 1990s.

"They know that hospitals, churches, schools and monasteries are important places for human care, and gathering, and symbols — and they hammer them," said Eubank. "That's new."

Military forces now control l ess than half the country, but are holding on tenaciously to much of central Myanmar including the capital, Naypyidaw — recently targeted by drone attacks — and largest city, Yangon, and is far better armed than the resistance forces, with support from Russia and China.

"People have been saying that the regime was on the brink of collapse since two weeks after the coup," in February 2021, said Morgan Michaels, an analyst with the International Institute of Strategic Studies who runs its Myanmar Conflict Map project.

"On the other hand, obviously the regime is weaker than it's ever been.... so there's no doubt that it's in serious, serious trouble," he said.

Thet Swe, a spokesman for the military government, acknowledged an email from The Associated Press seeking comment but did not respond to questions.

As the fighting has moved into more populated areas, about 1 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the offensive in October, contributing to the more than 3 million internally displaced people in the country of some 56 million, according to the U.N.'s humanitarian aid agency.

With the collapse of its health care system and food supplies dwindling, 18.6 million people are in need, up 1 million from a year ago, including 6 million children, the agency said.

HOW IT BEGAN

Opposition in Myanmar, also known as Burma, had been growing since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, but it gained new momentum in October when major militias known collectively as the Three Brotherhood Alliance launched a joint offensive.

Together, the Arakan Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army — among the most powerful militias formed by Myanmar's ethnic minorities — made quick advances.

As they captured huge swaths of territory largely in the north and northeast, including economically important border crossings with China and several major military bases, other ethnic armed groups sensed momentum and joined the fighting.

At the same time, People's Defense Forces — armed resistance groups that support the shadow National Unity Government, which views itself as Myanmar's legitimate administration — have been increasing in number and launching their own attacks, often supported and trained by the ethnic armed militias.

Both sides claim they have inflicted heavy tolls. And the military government under Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing has acknowledged it is under pressure, recently reintroducing conscription to increase its ranks.

That has pushed some young people into the resistance. Many more have fled to rural areas or neighboring countries to avoid fighting.

With the violence across its border, China helped broker a cease-fire in Myanmar's north in January with the Three Brotherhood Alliance. But the alliance's Arakan Army continues to fight in its home Rakhine state in the west and has made significant gains, while PDFs and other ethnic armed groups continue their own attacks elsewhere.

THE LATEST FIGHTING

The fiercest fighting in recent weeks has been in the southeast, where the main ethnic Karen fighting force, the Karen National Liberation Army, claimed in early April to have seized all the military bases in Myawaddy, the main town on the border with Thailand in Kayin state.

One army battalion clung to a position beside one of Myawaddy's two bridges, assisted by the Border Guard Force, a rival Karen group that had been in charge of border area security for years, conducting lucrative business by providing protection to area casino resorts with links to organized crime.

The force, which declared itself neutral in January, now controls the town with military government administrators still in place, highlighting how some militia groups still prioritize their own interests.

"This is not a black and white situation. This is not the regime reconquering and reconsolidating control," Michaels said of the fighting in the area. "This is the regime hanging on, keeping a foothold by the razor's edge."

Meanwhile, the military has pushed KNLA and People's Defense Forces out of Kawkareik, a strategically important town along the road that connects Myawaddy with the rest of the country.

Thousands of civilians have fled Myawaddy and Kawkareik. But many civilians haven't managed to escape.

At least 1,015 civilian deaths have been documented from Nov. 1 through May 1, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a watchdog group that tracks political arrests, attacks and casualties. It says 4,962 civilians have been killed overall since the military took power three years ago.

The watchdog blamed the deaths on the military's increasing use of scorched-earth tactics and fighting moving into more populated areas.

"The military has increasingly lost areas of control in recent months, which has only increased their use of this strategy, responding with airstrikes, shelling and so on in civilian areas," the AAPP said in an email.

The group added that the number of civilian deaths in the recent months of fighting is likely double what it reported, if not more, but that it can't document the numbers due to the intensification of the conflict.

Kyaw Zaw, a spokesperson for the shadow National Unity Government, said the military had destroyed 343 hospitals and clinics since it took power, and that those attacks had accelerated in the last two months, though he didn't have specific details.

Eubank, with the Free Burma Rangers, said he and his teams operating near the front lines have witnessed the military, known as the Tatmadaw, fighting with a " speed and force and a viciousness that we've never seen."

But in fighting a common enemy, the resistance is showing growing unity, he said.

"The Burma army is still stronger than any of these resistance groups, and if they want to bring a division or two to bear, they will win the battle, but they're not stronger than everybody else together," he said.

WHAT COMES NEXT

Whether that unity will continue if the regime falls, and if the disparate resistance forces can agree on a common path ahead for Myanmar, is an open question, Michaels said.

"On one hand, Myanmar is not Syria — there is common cause in fighting the regime," Michaels said. "But at the same time, as the regime has receded from some areas, there are at least indicators of potential future conflicts between groups."

He noted an incident in northern Shan state last month in which troops from two members of the Three Brotherhood Alliance — the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army — traded fire over a territorial dispute. One person was injured.

The groups quickly agreed to stand down, but the incident illustrates that territorial tension is real, Michaels said.

An opposition politician still inside the country, speaking on condition of anonymity for his own safety, said Myanmar's people have a common desire for peace and stability, but the various factions still pursue their own interests.

"It is hard to predict what is ahead, and they still don't have a single political direction or goal. I think there is quite a problem in this situation," he said.

"Myanmar is now at a crossroads."​

 

[Saif]

UN says 3m forced to flee in Myanmar conflict

Breaking News, International News & Multimedia

thedailynewnation.com

UN says 3m forced to flee in Myanmar conflict
9 May 2024, 12:00 am

Aljazeera :

The number of people in Myanmar forced from their homes by conflict now exceeds more than 3 million in what the United Nations has described as a "bleak milestone" for the country.

The UN said the number displaced had surged by 50 percent in the last six months as fighting escalated between the military and armed groups trying to remove the generals who seized power in a coup in February 2021.

"Myanmar has this week marked a bleak milestone with more than 3 million civilians now displaced nationwide amid intensifying conflict," the office of the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Myanmar said in a statement on Monday.​

 

[Saif]

Rohingya man shot dead in Teknaf

A Rohingya man was shot dead in a refugee camp under Hnila union of Teknaf upazila in Cox's Bazar this morning

www.thedailystar.net

Rohingya man shot dead in Teknaf

Star Online Graphics

A Rohingya man was shot dead in a refugee camp under Hnila union of Teknaf upazila in Cox's Bazar this morning.

The incident took place at Mochni registered Rohingya camp in the union around 8:30am, said Oficer-in-Charge Mohammad Osman Gani of Teknaf Police Station.

The deceased Mohammad Alam, 48, was a resident of E-Block of Mochni Rohingya camp.

According to the locals and police, Alam was stopped by five to six miscreants in the morning while going to a local arbitration meeting.

They picked up Alam and took him to an area near to a local school. He was shot in the head, the OC said, adding that he died on the spot.

We are suspecting that previous enmity might be the reason behind the killing, he added.

Police are trying to arrest those involved in the incident, the OC said.

The body has been sent to Cox's Bazar District Sadar Hospital's morgue for autopsy.​

 

[Saif]

Civilian casualties rise in Myanmar’s civil war

Breaking News, International News & Multimedia

thedailynewnation.com

Civilian casualties rise in Myanmar's civil war
11 May 2024, 12:00 am

AFP :

Six months into an offensive against Myanmar 's military government, opposition forces have made massive gains, but civilian casualties are rising sharply as regime troops increasingly turn toward scorched-earth tactics in the Southeast Asian country's bitter civil war.

There is pressure on all fronts from powerful fighters drawn from Myanmar's ethnic minority groups and newer resistance forces.

Troops are retaliating with air, naval and artillery strikes on hospitals and other facilities where the opposition could be sheltered or aided.

"When the mass of people rise up against them, I think it terrifies them," said Dave Eubank, a former US Special Forces soldier who founded the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian aid organization that has provided assistance to both combatants and civilians in Myanmar since the 1990s.

"They know that hospitals, churches, schools and monasteries are important places for human care, and gathering, and symbols – and they hammer them," said Eubank. "That's new."

Military forces now control less than half the country, but are holding on tenaciously to much of central Myanmar including the capital, Naypyidaw – recently targeted by drone attacks – and largest city, Yangon, and is far better armed than the resistance forces, with support from Russia and China.

"People have been saying that the regime was on the brink of collapse since two weeks after the coup," in February 2021, said Morgan Michaels, an analyst with the International Institute of Strategic Studies who runs its Myanmar Conflict Map project.

"On the other hand, obviously the regime is weaker than it's ever been…. so, there's no doubt that it's in serious, serious trouble," he said.

Thet Swe, a spokesman for the military government, denied that troops were targeting buildings and areas where civilians were sheltering, blaming their destruction instead on the opposition forces, without citing evidence.

"The military never harmed hospitals, churches and civilians in our country," he told The Associated Press in an email. "They did not use that strategy and are fighting the rebels only for the sovereignty of our country."

As the fighting has moved into more populated areas, about 1 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the offensive in October, contributing to the more than 3 million internally displaced people in the country of some 56 million, according to the UN's humanitarian aid agency.

With the collapse of its health care system and food supplies dwindling, 18.6 million people are in need, up one million from a year ago, including six million children, the agency said.

Opposition in Myanmar, also known as Burma, had been growing since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, but it gained new momentum in October when major fighters known collectively as the Three Brotherhood Alliance launched a joint offensive named "Operation 1027."

Together, the Arakan Army (AA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) – among the most powerful fighters formed by Myanmar's ethnic minorities – made quick advances.

As they captured huge swaths of territory largely in the north and northeast, including economically important border crossings with China and several major military bases, other ethnic armed groups sensed momentum and joined the fighting.

At the same time, People's Defense Forces (PDF)- armed resistance groups that support the shadow National Unity Government (NUG), which views itself as Myanmar's legitimate administration – have been increasing in number and launching their own attacks, often supported and trained by the ethnic armed fighters.

Both sides claim they have inflicted heavy tolls. And the military government under Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has acknowledged it is under pressure, recently reintroducing conscription to increase its ranks.

That has pushed some young people into the resistance. Many more have fled to rural areas or neighboring countries to avoid fighting.

With the violence across its border, China helped broker a cease-fire in Myanmar's north in January with the Three Brotherhood Alliance.

But the alliance's Arakan Army continues to fight in its home Rakhine state in the west and has made significant gains, while PDFs and other ethnic armed groups continue their own attacks elsewhere.

The fiercest fighting in recent weeks has been in the southeast, where the main ethnic Karen fighting force, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), claimed in early April to have seized all the military bases in Myawaddy, the main town on the border with Thailand in Kayin state, also known as Karen state.

One army battalion clung to a position beside one of Myawaddy's two bridges, assisted by the Border Guard Force, a rival Karen group that had been in charge of border area security for years, conducting lucrative business by providing protection to area casino resorts with links to organized crime.

The force, which declared itself neutral in January, now controls the town with military government administrators still in place, highlighting how some fighter groups still prioritize their own interests.

"This is not a black and white situation. This is not the regime reconquering and reconsolidating control," Michaels said of the fighting in the area. "This is the regime hanging on, keeping a foothold by the razor's edge."

Meanwhile, the military has pushed KNLA and People's Defense Forces out of Kawkareik, a strategically important town along the road that connects Myawaddy with the rest of the country.

Thousands of civilian have fled Myawaddy and Kawkareik. But many civilians haven't managed to escape.

At least 1,015 civilian deaths have been documented from November 1 through May 1, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a watchdog group that tracks political arrests, attacks and casualties. It says 4,962 civilians have been killed overall since the military took power three years ago.

The watchdog blamed the deaths on the military's increasing use of scorched-earth tactics and fighting moving into more populated areas.

"The military has increasingly lost areas of control in recent months, which has only increased their use of this strategy, responding with airstrikes, shelling and so on in civilian areas," the AAPP said in an email.

The group added that the number of civilian deaths in the recent months of fighting is likely double what it reported, if not more, but that it can't document the numbers due to the intensification of the conflict.

Kyaw Zaw, a spokesperson for the shadow National Unity Government, said the military had destroyed 343 hospitals and clinics since it took power, and that those attacks had accelerated in the last two months, though he didn't have specific details.

Eubank, with the Free Burma Rangers, said he and his teams operating near the front lines have witnessed the military, known as the Tatmadaw, fighting with a " speed and force and a viciousness that we've never seen." But in fighting a common enemy, the resistance is showing growing unity, he said.

"The Burma army is still stronger than any of these resistance groups, and if they want to bring a division or two to bear, they will win the battle, but they're not stronger than everybody else together," he said.

Whether that unity will continue if the regime falls, and if the disparate resistance forces can agree on a common path ahead for Myanmar, is an open question, Michaels said.

"On one hand, Myanmar is not Syria – there is common cause in fighting the regime," Michaels said. "But at the same time, as the regime has receded from some areas, there are at least indicators of potential future conflicts between groups."

He noted an incident in northern Shan state last month in which troops from two members of the Three Brotherhood Alliance – the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army – traded fire over a territorial dispute. One person was injured.

The groups quickly agreed to stand down, but the incident illustrates that territorial tension is real, Michaels said.

An opposition politician still inside the country, speaking on condition of anonymity for his own safety, said Myanmar's people have a common desire for peace and stability, but the various factions still pursue their own interests.

"It is hard to predict what is ahead, and they still don't have a single political direction or goal. I think there is quite a problem in this situation," he said. "Myanmar is now at a crossroads."​

 

[Saif]

Saudi for quick renewal of 69,000 passports

Saudi authorities on Sunday wanted a faster renewal of 69,000 Bangladeshi passports issued to Rohingya people over the years, prompting the Bangladesh authorities to seek...

www.newagebd.net

Saudi for quick renewal of 69,000 passports
Muktadir Rashid 13 May, 2024, 00:16

Saudi authorities on Sunday wanted a faster renewal of 69,000 Bangladeshi passports issued to Rohingya people over the years, prompting the Bangladesh authorities to seek six more months for necessary steps.

A six-member Saudi delegation, headed by the kingdom's deputy interior minister Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Daoud, flagged the issue once again during a bilateral meeting with a Bangladeshi delegation, headed by home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, in Dhaka.

The meeting was held for three hours at a hotel near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport a day after the arrival of the Saudi delegation on a chartered plane on Saturday night.

This is the second such meeting between Bangladesh and Saudi authorities over the renewal of 69,000 Bangladeshi passports in less than two years.

In November 2022, the Saudi deputy interior minister visited Dhaka and raised the same issue with the home ministry.

All expats living in Saudi Arabia, from children to adults to the elderly, need an Iqama, an official identification document in the kingdom that allows the individual to open a bank account, sign rental agreements, enter government buildings, and even get their first Saudi SIM card.

A copy of the passport is required, among others, to get the Iqama.

Bangladesh officials told New Age that the Saudi authorities had threatened that they would deport thousands of people to Bangladesh if their Bangladeshi passports were not renewed.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, however, believed that the Saudi authorities would not deport them, saying that the delegation had inquired about the process of renewing 69,000 Bangladeshi passports.

He claimed a number of Rohingyas using Bangladeshi passports have gone to Saudi Arabia since the mid-1970s, and their passports needed to be renewed.

Asaduzzaman could not say the exact number but added that many of them travelled to Saudi Arabia in 1973–74.

A document related to the matter read, 'necessary steps will be taken for the renewal of their passports within six months.'

Referring to a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Dhaka and Riyadh regarding the renewal of passports, Asaduzzaman said that the Saudi delegation wanted to know if Dhaka had any problems materialising it.

The minister said that Saudi Arabia wanted to sign an extradition treaty with Bangladesh.

The Saudi deputy minister did not make any comments.

The home minister said that they had discussed ways of extending cooperation to enhance the capacity of the Border Guard Bangladesh and the police.

Dhaka also informed the Saudi delegation that they could consider recruiting Ansar members for jobs in the kingdom.

He also sought their cooperation to resolve the Rohingya crisis.​

 

[Saif]

How China, India and Bangladesh could be drawn into Myanmar’s conflict | Lowy Institute

Rakhine state has become a de facto battleground for the competing interests of Beijing, Delhi and Dhaka.

www.lowyinstitute.org

How China, India and Bangladesh could be drawn into Myanmar's conflict
DAVID BREWSTER
Rakhine state has become a de facto battleground for the competing interests of Beijing, Delhi and Dhaka.

Insurgency in Myanmar's western Rakhine state has particular consequences for the broader region (STR/AFP via Getty Images)
Published 8 Nov 2022

The 2021 military coup in Myanmar sparked renewed civil conflict between Myanmar government forces, the Tatmadaw, and perhaps a dozen insurgent groups seeking their own ethnic states. Many of these conflicts have cross-border implications, but the insurgency in Rakhine state has particular consequences for the broader region. China has already been drawn into the conflict in Rakhine state to protect key interests, and India and Bangladesh could soon follow. This may produce unpredictable outcomes.

Over the last decade or more, Myanmar's Rakhine state, which borders southern Bangladesh, has been the scene of brutal ethnic cleansing. In 2017, the Tatmadaw, working with local nationalists, violently expelled more than 700,000 Rohingya people – mostly Muslims – from Myanmar. Around a million now live in festering conditions in the world's largest refugee camp at Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh government takes the position that the presence of the Rohingya people on their territory is only temporary and that, one way or another, they must be repatriated to their homeland in Rakhine. But all attempts have been stonewalled by Myanmar authorities.

The Tatmadaw is in retreat and could be expelled from much of Rakhine state. This has some potentially far-reaching consequences for the broader region.

The situation has been further destabilised in the last several months by renewed fighting between the Tatmadaw and local separatists, the Arakan Army, who have taken control of large areas, including the north, much of central Rakhine, and the border with Bangladesh. The Tatmadaw is in retreat and could be expelled from much of Rakhine state. This has some potentially far-reaching consequences for the broader region.

China has significant interests in Rakhine, principally the protection of its transport and economic corridor between southern China and the Bay of Bengal, a key element in the Belt and Road Initiative. This includes the newly-built Kyaukphyu port on the Bay of Bengal and a pipeline and planned road and rail links between the port and southern China. Together, these give China direct access to the Bay of Bengal for the first time in history, with considerable implications for the regional balance of power.

With renewed fighting in Rakhine, China is seeking to protect its investments in the Kyaukphyu corridor by providing substantial support for the Arakan Army, including money and arms. This allows China to gain leverage against the Tatmadaw and hedge its bets.

In 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingya – mostly Muslims – were expelled from Myanmar. Around a million now live in festering conditions in the world's largest refugee camp at Cox's Bazar, southern Bangladesh (Allison Joyce/UN Women/Flickr)

Chinese support for the Arakan Army also provides other benefits, particularly in relation to India's competing Kaladan project in Rakhine, which would connect the Bay of Bengal with India's northeast. The Kaladan project involves construction of new port facilities at Sittwe, a river transit system and a road to India's Mizoram state. When completed, this would provide a direct link between the Indian Ocean and India's northeast states, which are only otherwise tenuously connected with the rest of India.

Delhi hopes the Kaladan corridor will be a driver of economic development in India's northeast. It is also anticipated that it will reduce India's reliance on Bangladesh for transit routes – with some important implications for relations between those two countries.

But there have been long delays in completing the Kaladan corridor, and the Arakan Army has recently seized key territory along the corridor, which gives it considerable bargaining power with India. It is not clear whether India will do a deal with the Arakan Army, or if it will just double down on its long-running support for the Tatmadaw.

Neighbouring Bangladesh also has crucial interests in Rakhine. Fighting in the state is increasingly spilling across the border, stymying Bangladesh's hopes to repatriate Rohingya refugees. Aside from whether Myanmar authorities would ever allow the return of the Rohingyas they recently expelled, the international community would not countenance the repatriation of refugees into a war zone. There seems little chance that Bangladesh could move forward with repatriation in the foreseeable future with the Tatmadaw's agreement.

The takeover of Rakhine state by the Arakan Army would come with risks for all concerned, including whether it could achieve lasting stability and security.

For years, Bangladesh has approached its difficult neighbour with great caution, seeking to de-escalate and de-militarise cross-border violations. But with frustrations building in Dhaka, there may be a hardening in its response and a search for new approaches to the Myanmar problem.

The Tatmadaw claims that the Arakan Army already finds safe havens in ethnically related communities in remote Bangladesh border areas. Bangladesh officially denies this. But there may be growing temptations in Dhaka to assist the Arakan Army's ambitions for an autonomous state. Indeed, Arakan Army control of Rakhine probably provides the only realistic pathway for the repatriation of at least some Rohingyas.

The Arakan Army recently pledged to recognise the citizenship rights of what they call "Myanmar Muslims" and to allow those who still remain in Rakhine to "participate" in any future administration. But many Rohingyas view these statements with deep scepticism given long-running Arakanese nationalist sentiments against Rohingyas. Indeed, some recent incidents, such as shelling of border areas, suggest that the Arakan Army may be trying to fuel tensions between Bangladesh and the Tatmadaw for their own ends.

The takeover of Rakhine state by the Arakan Army would come with risks for all concerned, including whether it could achieve lasting stability and security.

The Tatmadaw's response is difficult to predict. India, too, has strong reasons not to see a group that is in league with China take control of Rakhine. A fully independent Rakhine state could also lead to the further splintering of Myanmar, with unpredictable consequences.

Of all Myanmar's internal conflicts, this is the one to watch. The conflict in Rakhine, fuelled by major power competition and the Rohingya crisis, may have significant ramifications far beyond Myanmar's borders.​

 

[Saif]

Recruits march to training as junta presses conscription

Myanmar’s embattled junta is pressing ahead with military conscription, state media said yesterday, with video footage showing new recruits being marched to training centres across the country.

www.thedailystar.net

MYANMAR CONFLICT
Recruits march to training as junta presses conscription

Myanmar's embattled junta is pressing ahead with military conscription, state media said yesterday, with video footage showing new recruits being marched to training centres across the country.

The military is struggling to crush widespread opposition to its rule following its 2021 coup that ended an experiment with democracy and plunged Myanmar into turmoil.

In February the junta said it would enforce a law allowing it to call up all men aged 18-35 to serve in the military, sending thousands queueing for visas outside foreign embassies in Yangon.

Junta number two Soe Win visited Yangon on Monday and was briefed on "systematic selection" of those being called up, the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said. The first batch of recruits began training in April, according to broadcaster MRTV, which did not say how many had been signed up. Recruits from the second batch have begun arriving at their training camps, according to a montage broadcast by MRTV last week.

The images showed dozens of men, purportedly at different locations, walking in lines to training centres, some led by soldiers or marching bands.​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar junta presses conscription

Myanmar’s embattled junta is pressing ahead with military conscription, state media said on Tuesday, with video footage showing new recruits being marched to training centres across the country...

www.newagebd.net

Myanmar junta presses conscription
Agence France-Presse . Yangon 14 May, 2024, 23:32

Myanmar's embattled junta is pressing ahead with military conscription, state media said on Tuesday, with video footage showing new recruits being marched to training centres across the country.

The military is struggling to crush widespread opposition to its rule following its 2021 coup that ended an experiment with democracy and plunged Myanmar into turmoil.

In February the junta said it would enforce a law allowing it to call up all men aged 18-35 to serve in the military, sending thousands queueing for visas outside foreign embassies in Yangon.

Junta number two Soe Win visited Yangon on Monday and was briefed on the 'systematic selection' of those being called up, the state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.

The first batch of recruits began training in April, according to state broadcaster MRTV, which did not say how many had been signed up.

Recruits from the second batch have begun arriving at their training camps, according to a montage broadcast by MRTV last week.

The images showed dozens of men, purportedly at different locations across the country, walking in lines to training centres, some led by soldiers or marching bands.

Groups of women and soldiers formed tunnels to greet some of them with flowers or place garlands on their necks.

One group of men were wearing identical T-shirts with 'Natmauk' on the back, the images showed.

Natmauk is the home town of Aung San, who spearheaded the independence struggle against British colonial rule and is revered by Myanmar's military, which he founded.

His daughter, democracy figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi, has been detained by the military since the coup and jailed on charges critics say are designed to remove her from politics.

After arriving at their training centres the second batch of recruits 'took a medical test and were issued with food, military equipment and a stipend,' MRTV said.

It did not say how many men were included in the second batch.

The military service law was authored by a previous junta in 2010 but was never brought into force.

It allows the military to summon all men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 to serve for at least two years.

The service term can last up to five years during a state of emergency, which the junta has extended multiple times since its coup.

Around 13 million people will be eligible to be called up, a junta spokesman has said, though the military only has the capacity to train 50,000 a year.

Local media have reported cases of young men being pulled off the streets in Yangon and other cities and taken away to undergo military training.

The junta has denied the reports.

The 2021 coup re-ignited conflict with established ethnic minority armed groups and birthed dozens of newer pro-democracy 'People's Defence Forces' now battling the military across Myanmar.

The conflict has displaced around 2.7 million people, according to the United Nations.

Rights groups say the junta has burned villages, carried out extrajudicial killings and used air and artillery strikes to punish communities it suspects of opposing its rule.​

 

[Saif]

Rohingyas: A permanent guest syndrome?

It's been seven years since the Rohingyas arrived in their latest edition and this time caught most international attention. They had been coming here for a long time, expelled by the Myanmar authorities as outsiders historically. Various Bangladeshi regimes have responded as per their percep

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Rohingyas: A permanent guest syndrome?
AFSAN CHOWDHURY
Published :
May 13, 2024 22:15
Updated :
May 14, 2024 21:25

Reuters file photo

It's been seven years since the Rohingyas arrived in their latest edition and this time caught most international attention. They had been coming here for a long time, expelled by the Myanmar authorities as outsiders historically. Various Bangladeshi regimes have responded as per their perceptions of advantages and difficulties.

However, when they arrived this time, it was a tsunami of arrival - 700,000 in number at least -and the rest is known. What we don't know is what exactly is going on there between not just the two countries directly involved but the big powers pulling the strings to make it happen for their own benefit.

Does Bangladesh matter in all this? That string pulling is happening not because Bangladesh matters but other states linked to Bangladesh do. And Bangladesh can hardly decide the drift of things. Its denial of its own limited external sovereignty and that it's not bilateral but tri-lateral and multilateral relations that decide matters has continued to weaken Bangladesh's official stances. Given the political power equation scenario at the international problem, the Rohingya problem is not just an issue of refugees but an indicator of our global political-economic status.

Humanitarian issues, IOM and other interventions are a constantly asked question. That is another dimension of the crisis which is real, humane and about human suffering that not many bother about in the issue. International relief and humanitarianism is a reality but does it stand alone from the rest of global politics?

The response to the humanitarian crisis has fewer issues that impact on internal and external policies globally so the international community has been very supportive of the problem and helping out Bangladesh with resources and support.

However, if one goes back in time, one can see that the funding countries didn't support Bangladesh in any international way for repatriation of the refugees. That is only to be expected as Bangladesh has been caught in a very uncomfortable international, diplomatic and real crossfire. So what does IOM and other's presence mean in relation to the Rohingya crisis?. It's possible they want prolonging the same as long as it suits the bigger boys. .

The IOM DG Pope recently visited Bangladesh and offered hope and promised to raise more money. She said, "I am deeply grateful to our generous donors for their support and commitment to addressing the urgent humanitarian needs of Rohingya refugees and vulnerable populations in Bangladesh. Their substantial contributions will not only make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need, but they also demonstrate our collective responsibility to uphold the principles of solidarity and compassion on a global scale. Together, we are not only assisting Bangladesh but setting a powerful example for collaborative action in tackling migration challenges worldwide."

The IOM newsletter says, "In March, IOM appealed for USD 119 million to support nearly a million Rohingya refugees in what has been called the world's largest refugee settlement in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, and the vulnerable community generously hosting them. In a momentous step towards preserving Rohingya cultural heritage, DG Pope inaugurated the World Tour of the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC). This exhibition will showcase, in several global locations, the rich cultural heritage of the Rohingya community and raise awareness about their plight." The signal is clear. It's as far as one can go in calling the problem or situation permanent.

Permanent visitors' status is not something anyone is talking about but it's clearly there on the table. Bangladesh has no control over the problem because it's also a battle between China and the West at one level and a regional political situation that is not under anyone's control. When the Rohingya deluge came, Myanmar's boss was Suu-Kyi. She was the West's pet 'democrat" at the receiving end of unconditional support for expelling the refugees if the reality is held up.

At that point as now, Bangladesh didn't matter and doesn't now either. What was good for Suu-Kyi's continuation in power was good for the US as she was seen as a bulwark against Chinese clout.

China has meanwhile helped the Myanmar army topple Suu Kyi but the Myanmar regime is weak and not really a big help to its primary patron. At the same time they have become directly involved in the yaba trade that has created a vested interest group amongst the power structure in Bangladesh.

That has made the Chinese feel better not to mention Myanmar and of course those who matter in many parts of the Bangladeshi power structure. Most yaba is produced in the Chin state which is an "independent " state" run by the Chin Liberation Army. It may be an accident that the Chin state's biggest backer is China.

Bangladesh is not a party to the coming and going of the Rohingyas so it's basically playing the role of a forced host. And the Rohingya's living here as refugees serve most if not all the purposes. They are hated as "Muslim dark skinned Bengalis" and really don't fit into the power framework that China supports there.

The West on the other hand see it as an opportunity to argue that the West sanctioned pro-Chinese Myanmar regime is pretty awful though it had also supported Suu-Kyi when they were initially thrown out at a mass scale.

Meanwhile, the smart ones in both Myanmar and Bangladesh make serious money from the yaba trade, the most openly criminal activity possible. No one minds really. That being the case, the chances of the Rohingyas returning are slim to slimmer. Unless of course, some equations change in global politics.​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar air strike injures 20 at clinic

A Myanmar military air strike on a medical clinic wounded around 20 people in western Rakhine state, according to an ethnic armed group, a resident and local media yesterday.

www.thedailystar.net

RAKHINE STATE
Myanmar air strike injures 20 at clinic

A Myanmar military air strike on a medical clinic wounded around 20 people in western Rakhine state, according to an ethnic armed group, a resident and local media yesterday.

Clashes have rocked Rakhine since the Arakan Army (AA) attacked security forces in November.

AA fighters have seized territory, including along the border with India and Bangladesh, piling further pressure on the junta.​

 

[Saif]

Top Asean officials meet Myanmar junta chief for ‘cooperation’ talks

Breaking News, International News & Multimedia

thedailynewnation.com

Top Asean officials meet Myanmar junta chief for 'cooperation' talks
17 May 2024, 12:00 am

AFP :

Myanmar's military chief has held talks with top Asean officials on the junta's participation in the Southeast Asian regional bloc, from which it has been isolated since the 2021 coup, state media reported Thursday The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations has led so far fruitless diplomatic efforts to solve the conflict unleashed by the military's putsch, which has displaced 2.7 million people, according to the United Nations.

Myanmar is still a member of Asean, but the generals have been excluded from top-level bloc meetings over their refusal to engage in a peace plan and with their opponents. Army chief Min Aung Hlaing met Asean special envoy Alounkeo Kittikhoun and secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn on Wednesday in the capital Naypyidaw, according to the Global New Light of Myanmar.

They "exchanged views on the issues of Myanmar's cooperation in Asean," the state-owned newspaper reported.

They also "discussed the best cooperation of Myanmar in Asean, the conditions of Myanmar's participation in Asean meetings" and the junta's plan to hold fresh elections, the newspaper said.

The Myanmar crisis has divided Asean — long derided by critics as a toothless talking shop.

Indonesian, Malaysia and the Philippines have called for tougher action against the junta, while Thailand has held its own bilateral talks with the generals as well as detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Last year, officials from Indonesia held talks with a shadow "National Unity Government" that is dominated by lawmakers ousted in the coup and which the junta has designated a "terrorist" organisation.

In January, the junta sent a senior bureaucrat to an Asean foreign ministers meet in Laos — the first time the country attended a high-level meeting of the bloc in more than two years.

More than 5,000 people have been killed and more than 26,000 arrested in the military's crackdown on dissent since the coup according to a local monitoring group.

The coup ended a short-lived experiment with democracy and plunged the Southeast Asian nation into turmoil.

Across swathes of the country, the junta is battling established ethnic minority armed groups as well as pro-democracy "People's Defence Forces."​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar ethnic armed group claims control of western town

A Myanmar ethnic minority armed group on Saturday claimed its fighters had seized control of a town in western Rakhine state, in what would be...

www.newagebd.net

Myanmar ethnic armed group claims control of western town
Agence France-Presse . Bangkok 19 May, 2024, 00:36

A Myanmar soldier. | AFP file photo

A Myanmar ethnic minority armed group on Saturday claimed its fighters had seized control of a town in western Rakhine state, in what would be another blow to the junta.

Clashes have rocked Rakhine since the Arakan Army attacked security forces in November, ending a ceasefire that had largely held since the 2021 military coup.

AA fighters have seized territory, including along the border with India and Bangladesh, piling further pressure on the junta as it battles opponents elsewhere across the Southeast Asian country.

'We seized all bases of the Myanmar Army in Buthidaung,' in northern Rakhine state, the AA said on its Telegram channel on Saturday.

Those seized included a 'military strategic headquarters', it added, without giving details.

Its fighters were still clashing with junta troops outside the town, it said.

Buthidaung sits around 90 kilometres north of state capital Sittwe, which is still held by the military.

Earlier this month, the AA said it had taken hundreds of junta personnel prisoner following an assault on a command near the Buthidaung.

A junta spokesman has been approached for comment.

Communication with Rakhine is extremely difficult, with most mobile networks down.

The AA is one of several armed ethnic minority groups in Myanmar's border regions, many of whom have battled the military since independence from Britain in 1948 over autonomy and control of lucrative resources.

The AA claims to be fighting for more autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine population.

Fighting had spread to 15 of Rakhine state's 17 townships since November, the UN's human rights chief said last month.

Hundreds of people have been killed or wounded and more than 3,00,000 displaced, it said.

Clashes between the AA and the military in 2019 roiled the region and displaced around 2,00,000 people.

The military launched a crackdown on the Rohingya minority there in 2017 which is now the subject of a United Nations genocide court case.​

 

[Saif]

Rohingya expats in Saudi Arabia: How long to bear this liability?

Learn about the ongoing discussion between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia regarding the renewal of passports for Rohingya expatriates in Saudi Arabia and the implications of this decision on both countries.

en.prothomalo.com

Rohingya expats in Saudi Arabia: How long to bear this liability?
Editorial Desk
Published: 18 May 2024, 15: 21

As reported in the media, Bangladesh at the request of the Saudi Arabia government has agreed to renew the passports of 69,000 Rohingya community members living in Saudi Arabia.

These Rohingyas had moved to Saudi Arabia many years ago with Bangladeshi passports. During his recent visit to Dhaka, deputy interior minister of Saudi Arabia Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Dawood discussed the matter with home minister Asaduzzaman Khan. Earlier, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had also been signed between the two countries.

Following his meeting, the home minister said that Saudi Arabia has sought to know about the progress of the passport renewal efforts for the Rohingyas who went to the country with Bangladeshi passports.

Saudi Arabia has promised that they would not send the Rohingya expatriates back to Bangladesh even after their passports have been renewed. Their passports need to be renewed for them to be able to stay in Saudi Arabia, he had added.

Notably, Rohingya migrants who fled from Myanmar towards the end of 70s moved to Saudi Arabia from Bangladesh and Pakistan. While the Pakistan government sent them with travel documents, the Bangladesh government had directly given them passports.

That's why the country has been pressurising Bangladesh to renew the passports. The Bangladesh government has also agreed to renew the passports of the Rohingyas considering the interest of the Bangladeshi expatriates living in Saudi Arabia.

But the number of Rohingya migrants moving to Saudi Arabia from Bangladesh is not 69,000. It's a lot higher than that. In that case, what's the guarantee here that they would not ask to renew the passports of the remaining Rohingya members?

Often, there is news in the media about Rohingya members getting their passports and national identity cards done in the country. Even some of them have been caught at the airport while getting out of this country.

In this situation, we have to also consider the fact if renewing the passports of Rohingya expatriates in Saudi Arabia turns out to be a major problem for us.

There are about 2.8 million (28 lakh) Bangladeshi labourers living in the country. The government can take any step for their safety and welfare. However, we must also be careful so that the Rohingyas holding Bangladeshi passports cannot return to the country.

Bangladesh is now faced with a serious problem concerning the Rohingya migrants' issue. Right now there are more than a million (10 lakh0 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, major chunk of whom arrived in 2017.

Sending Rohingyas to Saudi Arabia with Bangladeshi passports only proves the fact that past mistakes can still haunt you. Pakistan has shown more intelligence in this matter.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan only talked about the Rohingya expatriates who moved there between 1976 and 1979. But, a lot of other Rohingyas have also gone to Saudi Arabia via Bangladesh after that.

The important question here is that how did these Rohingyas get their hands on Bangladeshi passports? While the actual citizens of the country fall victim to different types of harassments in getting their passports done, the Rohingyas get their passports just like that. The mystery behind it needs to be unearthed as well.

Right when the government is about to renew 69,000 passports to ensure that the Rohingya expatriates living in Saudi Arabia can continue living in that country, more than a million (10 lakh) Rohingyas are residing in Bangladesh. There are no effective initiatives to repatriate these Rohingya migrants.

There came no positive message from the discussion with US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asia, Donald Lu either. He said that the situation in Myanmar is not yet favourable for Rohingya repatriation. Then does Bangladesh alone have to bear the responsibility of those millions of Rohingyas?

It must be kept in mind that these Rohingya migrants are not only creating a severe pressure on our public life, environment and economy but are also spreading narcotics.​

 

[Saif]

Myanmar can demonstrate its willingness by starting Rohingya repatriation: FM Hasan

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has told outgoing Myanmar Ambassador Aung Kyaw Moe that Myanmar can demonstrate its willingness by at least starting the Rohingya repatriation

www.thedailystar.net

Myanmar can demonstrate its willingness by starting Rohingya repatriation: FM Hasan

Photo: PID
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has told outgoing Myanmar Ambassador Aung Kyaw Moe that Myamar can demonstrate its willingness by at least starting the Rohingya repatriation.

He said this when the Myanmar ambassador called on the minister at the foreign ministry yesterday.

"Repatriation with the full rights of the Rohingyas to Myanmar is the only solution to the Rohingya crisis," Hasan Mahmud told the Myanmar envoy.

Myanmar's foreign minister during a bilateral meeting in Uganda early this year expressed opinion that Rohingya repatriation could start this year.

Aung Kyao Moe told the minister that the current conflicts between the Myanmar army and the ethnic groups is the reason why the repatriation has not happened yet.

However, Myanmar would be try more to start the repatriation of the Rohingya.

Meanwhile, the foreign minister yesterday directed the senior officials of the ministry to effectively coordinate the activities of the Bangladesh missions abroad, supervise and improve the services to the Bangladeshi expatriates.

Chairing the meeting, Hasan Mahmud said Bangladesh needs to achieve the trade targets set by the government.

He discussed various aspects of the activities of the foreign ministry and coordination of the activities of relevant ministries.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen moderated the Senior Officers Meeting.​