Burma Campaign UK says British government must impose sanctions on Arakan Army

Mizzima

Burma Campaign UK issued a statement on 25 February calling on the British government to impose sanctions on the Arakan Army (AA). The group says the AA is responsible for a committing a variety of human rights violations in Rakhine State including violations of international law.

The text of the statement continues below.

Burma Campaign UK is also calling on the British government to do more to support international justice and accountability avenues to hold the Arakha Army and its leadership accountable for their crimes, and to convene a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Arakan State, including human rights violations being committed by the Arakha Army and Burmese military. A senior UN human rights official should be invited to brief the meeting.

Following the military coup in 2021, the Arakha Army (formerly called the Arakan Army) (AA) has been fighting to free the state from Burmese military occupation. They have been incredibly successful, and have freed almost the entire state, making them heroes for many people in Burma.

However, in many ways they act like the Burmese military, and are committing numerous human rights violations. Links to some of the reports documenting their human rights violations are at the end of this media release.

In July last year the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar stated in an update to the UN General Assembly:

“During the reporting period, the Mechanism initiated investigations into crimes allegedly committed by members of the Arakan Army, in military or civilian attire. These included summary executions, torture and beheadings of military soldiers and civilians suspected of being military informants. In addition, the Mechanism continues to collect information on sexual violence, including rape, against Chin women.”

In January this year the British government stated:

“The Rohingya are likely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm from non-state actors, namely the Arakan Army in Rakhine state.”

Documented crimes by the Arakha Army include massacres, (in one instance they killed hundreds in a drone attack on fleeing civilians), mass detention, torture, beheadings, mass forcing of people from homes and villages, looting, blocking people from work or gathering food, extortion, forced recruitment, aid restrictions, forced labour and burning people alive who were locked into their homes.

The AA have also taken over part of neighbouring Chin State, where there have been accusations they have committed rapes, executions and abductions.

The Arakha Army isn’t just killing and oppressing people of different ethnicities and religions, it is also oppressing ethnic Arakanese people as well. People are afraid to publicly criticise the AA. They restrict access to the internet and have arrested a journalist for activities “going beyond the rules.”

The AA have also been breaking international law by executing captured Burmese Army soldiers, including by cutting their throats or burning them alive.

“Allowing the Arakha Army to continue to commit human rights abuses with impunity only encourages them to think they can get away with more abuses,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Private dialogue with the Arakha Army has not resulted in significant change in their behaviour. It is time that they faced consequences for their actions.”