Myanmar Spring Chronicle – June 08 Scenes
MoeMaKa, June 09, 2023
Relief organizations other than the military council are banned from traveling in Rakhine State; CNF bans foreign visitors from entering Chin State
About a week before reaching a month after Cyclone Mocha hit Rakhine State, the military council issued an order dated June 7 banning local aid groups, and the United Nations organizations working on aid and relief operations in Rakhine State starting from June 8.
The military council issued an order dated June 6 allowing the United Nations and social relief groups to travel and help. But the next day, according to instructions from Nay Pyi Taw, Rakhine State’s storm disaster assistance and relief coordination committee issued a notice of suspension of travel for all aid organizations with the official signature of the Minister of Security and Border Affairs of the Arakan State Government.
This ban order has surprised the people of Rakhine State, who are suffering badly from the cyclone, and the social relief organizations, which are doing their best to help and rescue them. Although the military council stated that there were not many casualties in Rakhine State, houses, rice for eating, food, and livelihoods have been severely damaged, and the townships of Sittwe, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Pauktaw, and Minbya are badly affected. A lot of emergency relief, such as drinking water, rice, important safe shelter during the monsoon season, daily livelihood items, and restoration of damaged areas, needs to be done. It seems that the United Nations has been trying for 3 weeks to obtain the permission of the military council to provide the aid they have, and to coordinate measures to provide comprehensive assistance. As a result, there were reports that some aid supplies were being delivered to some areas, but the ban order followed a few days later.
This action of the military council is similar to that of the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) government blocking international aid in 2008, which had the same impact as abducting the people of Ayeyarwady, who were severely affected by a natural disaster.
The current situation is not similar to the situation in Ayeyarwady in 2008. In some areas of Rakhine State, there are areas controlled by the AA armed group, also known as ULA/AA, and ULA/AA is also working all their might to help in rescue and relief. As an armed group of the Arakan ethnic group, AA has given the relief and rescue of the public first priority over politics when a natural disaster strikes, and imposing such restrictions by the military council has made it clear what is black and what is white in politics. Moreover, the military council has committed another crime that will go down in history again. Even when cyclone affected victims are in urgent need of aid, political exploitation, holding the public hostage, and suspiciously restricting international aid are crimes against humanity that are being committed by the military council.
Although there may be difficulties and obstacles for international organizations to interact with ULA/AA, they should find possible ways to reach the local communities in need of help and provide it through ULA/AA.
Another piece of news for today is the news that the Chin National Front CNF has issued a notice banning the entry of outsiders except local residents into Chin State. It is said that they aim to monitor the communication road between Hakha, Thantlang, and Matupi, where the battles are taking place, and to prevent the entry of aid such as reinforcements, weapons, ammunition, food, etc. sent by the military council in the situation where the fighting is taking place.
Chin State is a highly mountainous region with surface barriers such as a single highway road for transportation, a sparsely populated area, and is not connected by many roads and waterways from one region to another like flat areas. So it will be a difficult situation for the military council if they do not use air to transport weapons, food, and support troops.
As the CNF has a long history as an armed group based in central Chin State, it cannot be precisely said yet whether issuing such an order covers the whole of Chin State or not. This is because, unlike other regions, Chin State has various armed groups that have been formed according to tribes within the Chin ethnic group, and they can decide on their own the areas they rule.
For example, the CNF has no influence over the tribes in northern Chin State such as Tedim, so it is not yet known what the attitudes of the regional Chin defense armed forces are regarding the current ban statement.