Arakan Army releases captive MP

The Arakan Army (AA) has released Upper House lawmaker U Hawi Tin two months after he was captured. A human rights group told Reuters that the AA set the lawmaker free to ease tensions between the rebels and communities living in the conflict zone. S

AA continues hostage warfare with 130 captured villagers

The Arakan Army (AA) has captured more than 130 villagers in Paletwa Township, Chin State, claims a local ethnic organization. Although the AA has denied additional accusations of murders and sexual assaults in the township, if the allegations of arr

How a genocide ruling would affect Myanmar business

Next week, on January 23, the International Court of Justice will announce its ruling on whether or not Myanmar is guilty of genocide. The charges were leveled by the Gambia with a request for “provisional measures” to halt and rectify al

Myanmar ranks lowest in years for press freedom

Myanmar slipped one spot lower, to 138th, in the Reporters Without Borders (RWB) 2019 World Press Freedom Index. It is Myanmar’s lowest ranking since 2013 in the self-styled “press freedom barometer,” which is based on surveys of me
Government and NCA groups peace summit success

Can a high level meeting revive decaying peace?

On January 8th, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Military officials met with representatives of ten ethnic armed groups to discuss revitalizing Myanmar’s once promising peace process. The Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM

Arakan Army seeks to collect taxes

The Arakan Army (AA), an armed separatist group in Rakhine State, has announced the formation of a taxation agency in its occupied territories. The new “Rakhine Peoples’ Authority”, as it is called, will collect funds for its political and mili