Myanmar calls out China for arming insurgent groups, seeks global cooperation

Amid the ongoing India-China border conflict, Myanmar has accused Beijing of supplying funds and sophisticated weapons to insurgent groups in the South-East Asian nation. Speaking to  Russian state-run TV channel Zvezda, Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing recently said that “strong forces” in the region are providing support to terrorist organisations, and sought international cooperation to deal with such groups.

Myanmar military spokesperson Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun later clarified that the Army chief was referring to Arakan Army (AA) and Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) as terrorist organisations. While the spokesperson shied away from directly naming China, he said that China-made weapons were used by the rebel groups in mine attacks in 2019.

The Tatmadaw, official name of Myanmar’s armed forces, has been fighting the Arakan Army which was established in 2009 by ethnic Rakhine Buddhists with an objective to seek greater autonomy from the central government. The rebel group, currently led by Commander in chief Twan Myat Naing, wants self-determination for multi-ethnic Arakanese population and claims that it has no links with Rohingya rebel group.

According to an ANI source, around 95 per cent of the Arakan Army’s funding is being provided by China, and the rebel group has approximately 50 MANPADS (Man-Portable Air Defense Systems) surface-to-air missiles. Lucas news reported that China has gained leverage over India and Myanmar by arming the Arakan Army which operates in the corridor from North-East India and Rakhine states to the Indian ocean.

Read: Myanmar's Election Commission Sets November 8 Date For Polls

Rising hostility amid pandemic

The hostilities between the Arakan Army and Tatmadaw have not stopped even amidst the pandemic, leading to the death of a World Health Organisation (WHO) employee on April 20.  The WHO personnel, Pyae Sone Win Maung, was out collecting Coronavirus samples and travelling from Sittwe to Yangon for the Ministry of Health and Sports when the vehicle was targeted by gunfire in Rakhine State. Reports suggest that the vehicle became the target due to the recent clashes between Myanmar security forces and the Arakan Army.

Read: Myanmar Landslide: At Least 100 Dead In Hpakant Area Of Kachin State

(With ANI inputs)