In the bustling cityscape of Bangkok, the echoes of military airstrikes reverberated across the western reaches of Myanmar, claiming the lives of no less than 25 individuals from the Rohingya minority, including innocent children, as reported by local media. This grim incident swiftly drew the attention of the UN chief, who voiced profound concerns over the escalating violence gripping the region.
Accounts detail the airstrikes unfolding in the early hours of a Monday morning, striking the heart of Thada village nestled north of Minbya township in the turbulent terrain of Rakhine state. In their wake, the strikes inflicted injuries upon an additional 25 individuals. The military authority offered no immediate commentary on the distressing reports, leaving the situation shrouded in ominous silence. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, through a spokesperson, conveyed deep apprehension regarding “the deteriorating situation and escalation of conflict in Myanmar”.
Expressing condemnation towards all forms of violence, the UN chief reiterated the urgent need for safeguarding civilians, including aid workers, in accordance with international humanitarian laws. Furthermore, he called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and unfettered humanitarian access to the affected regions. Myanmar’s military apparatus has increasingly resorted to airstrikes as a means to quell the widespread resistance against its dominion, ever since wresting control from the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.
A damning report issued by Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica towards the close of the previous year painted a grim picture, documenting the loss of 936 civilian lives and injury to 878 individuals amidst 1,652 airstrikes since the military’s ascension to power. The report also highlighted the extensive damage wrought upon 137 religious edifices, 76 educational institutions, and 28 medical facilities by aerial bombardments.
Nestled some 340 kilometers southwest of Mandalay, the sprawling Rohingya village of Thada finds itself ensnared in the tumult. However, Myanmar’s demographic landscape predominantly skews towards Buddhism, with the Burman majority wielding significant influence as the ruling elite. Accounts from eyewitnesses within Thada village, shared under the cloak of anonymity, recount a harrowing tale of a jet fighter unleashing two bombs upon their abode shortly past 1:30 am, claiming the lives of six innocent children among the 25 fallen.
Among the casualties were individuals who had sought refuge from the strife afflicting neighboring settlements, amplifying the tragedy’s toll. Despite restricted access to information, independent media outlets including Myanmar Now, The Irrawaddy, and Rakhine-based publications corroborated the incident, albeit with varying casualty counts, emblematic of the challenges inherent in reporting from Myanmar’s conflict-ridden locales.
Verification of the airstrikes’ specifics remains elusive due to stringent reporting restrictions and the military regime’s severe curtailment of communication channels in the affected zones. The Rohingya minority has long endured persecution within Myanmar’s predominantly Buddhist society. Notably, an estimated 740,000 Rohingya sought refuge in Bangladeshi camps following a brutal military crackdown in August 2017, a response to insurgent activity in Rakhine purportedly championing Rohingya interests.
Rakhine, also known by its historical moniker Arakan, is predominantly inhabited by the Buddhist Rakhine community, which has long harbored aspirations for greater autonomy from the central authority, spawning armed resistance epitomized by the Arakan Army. Armed with formidable training and weaponry, the Arakan Army has launched a relentless campaign against military installations in Rakhine since November, asserting control over swathes of territory and besieging key military strongholds.
The group’s incursions extend beyond Rakhine’s borders, forging alliances with other ethnic militias to assert dominance in northeastern Myanmar, a strategic maneuver culminating in the seizure of territory along the Chinese frontier. Despite maintaining a ceasefire until late last year, the Arakan Army pivoted to offensive operations within Rakhine following conflagrations in the northeast, escalating hostilities to unprecedented levels.
The military’s intensifying airstrikes in Minbya township, a bastion of Arakan Army influence since February, exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis, deepening displacement and perpetuating entrenched discrimination. The UN chief’s dismay is palpable, resonating through statements of concern over the unfolding tragedy, particularly condemning the military’s indiscriminate airstrikes wreaking havoc across Myanmar’s scarred landscape.
