Swift administrative and security measures by the Union Government need to be taken in northern Rakhine State, an MP said in a motion put forward during yesterday’s meeting of the Pyithu Hluttaw in Nay Pyi Taw.
The motion was put forward by Daw Khin Saw Wai of Yathaytaung, who urged the State Government to implement better regional administrative and security plans as soon as possible.
“Crimes committed by extremist groups in Maungtaw, Buthidaung and Yathaytaung townships in northern Rakhine State are harming national security, rule of law, area consolidation and depredation of the national people”, she said.
Daw Khin Saw Wai said immigrants are infiltrating into the country almost every day and the population is booming, and as it is, the area is gradually becoming the one in which alien people are coming to live exclusively.
The MP outlined a series of events over the past year that she said warrant immediate action. Last year, extremists attacked three border outposts in Buthidaung and Maungtaw townships, killing 9 border security officers. During an area clearance operation, a senior military officer was killed.
More recently, a large man-made tunnel apparently used for training terrorists was found in the May Yu hills, together with hand-made firearms, huts and provisions. Three men who attacked security forces were killed. On August 3, terrorists killed eight Mro nationals who were working on farms. On August 4, border guard forces who went to arrest RSO (Rohingya Solidarity Organisation) terrorists who had been in Auk Nan Yar village, Yathaytaung came under fire.
Due to these events, Daw Khin Saw Wai said, locals were becoming anxious and being displaced to other regions. Religion and race-based extremists in Maungtaw and Buthidaung are getting money and weapons from international organisations, and are now conducting terrorist attack trainings systematically, she said.
The Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw announced that parliamentarians who would like to discuss the motion need to enroll their names.
Other issues discussed yesterday included a question raised by U Myo Zaw Aung of Kawlin constituency as to whether there are any plans to control moonshine which is being produced illicitly. Major-General Aung Soe, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, said the practice of distilling moonshine should be halted.
“Producing local moonshine should not be done. Instead, liquor produced in centrally controlled distillation factories should be encouraged more than ever. Moonshine which is locally produced should be levied heavily. Tax should not exceed imported liquors and numbers of liquor shops should be limited”, he said.