Written by Tun Kyaw
Border News Agency
Sittwe, August 18.

Arakan Land Amid the War Clouds

In the final phase of the Arakan war, more than a year and a half after the start of the urban battles, August marked the first return to the capital, Sittwe.

Relatives were still living in the city, and a strong desire to witness the situation firsthand led to an entry into Sittwe despite the many dangers.

The decision to return was akin to wagering lives, an adventurous gamble undertaken for survival and the struggle to stand firm.

Whether it was because the Military Commission grew suspicious or discovered something, there was the risk of being arrested and imprisoned, or even being killed.

Yet life itself is a gamble, and journalism is much the same as moths drawn to a flame, journalists are often compelled to push forward despite knowing the dangers.

Arakan is the homeland of the Arakanese people, and no matter the obstacles or mortal dangers, it will always offer a warm welcome to those who come.

When the people of Arakan return to their homeland, whose permission would they possibly need to request? Such a situation would stir the innate pride and anger of every Arakanese.

No matter how the clouds of war spread over the land of Arakan, its people will return to live there, just as Siberians return to their homeland.

Between the mountains and the sea, across the whole stretch of Arakan, even if war clouds drift and storms rage, the Arakanese will always find a way to face and overcome them.

Registration Required at Yangon Airport

Right at the start of the first trip, passengers at Yangon Airport must complete the check-in process and then proceed to airport security to fill out a departure form.

On this form, travelers provide their name, registration details, occupation, and the purpose of their visit.

Only with this completed form can passengers pass through the airport’s immigration and security checkpoints.

Female staff at the check-in counter emphasized that without this form, boarding the plane is not permitted.

The departure permit is required only for travel to Sittwe and Kyaukphru.

Even as Myanmar citizens, Arakanese people face discrimination and are singled out by authorities when returning to Arakan.

Although Arakanese citizens do not need to leave Myanmar, authorities continue to segregate and control them, effectively determining who may travel and who may not.

Sittwe Airport Under Tight Security

Upon arrival at the Sittwe airport, passengers disembarked and entered the terminal, where a uniformed immigration officer requested everyone’s registration details.

“Why is this necessary?” some travelers asked, confused.

“For record-keeping. Everyone must provide it,” the officer replied.

Once the registration forms were handed over, the officer immediately entered a nearby room.

At the entrance, there was a long wait of nearly half an hour to collect the baggage left on the plane.

Finally, the trolley carrying the plane’s luggage arrived.

Just as passengers tried to retrieve their belongings, a male staff member stopped them.

“You can’t take it here. You have to pass through the X-ray machine first,” he said.

“Ugh… the bags already went through the X-ray twice at Yangon Airport. Do they have to go through it again?” someone asked.

“Yes, that’s standard security procedure,” the staff member replied.

Finally understanding the procedure, passengers entered the terminal. Everyone was standing near a table, still waiting to move forward.

Upon approaching, it became clear that a young soldier and a police officer were carefully recording the registration details of each passenger.

Next, passengers were called individually by name and asked their age. They were then asked about their occupation, the purpose of visiting Sittwe, how many days they would stay, and the exact address and phone number where they would be staying in Sittwe. All of this information was recorded on a form.

Inside the airport building, some of the soldiers appeared to be around twenty years old.

Having never seen soldiers so young before, they appeared to be recent recruits fresh from military training under the conscription law.

The process at the Sittwe airport took quite a long time.

Each passenger could proceed only with the permission of the military officer in charge at the airport.

It was noticeable that INGO staff, government employees, and those who had notified the officer in advance were allowed to leave the airport area first.

Finally, many young and middle-aged individuals were called one by one into a VIP room adjacent to the main terminal.

Observing those who exited the VIP room after inspection, some of the younger individuals clearly showed signs of anxiety and fear on their faces.

“The questions are very detailed, almost like an investigation. They even check phones. When it’s your turn, you have to bring your phone with you too. Otherwise, they might assume you’re hiding it to avoid inspection,” a young man warned cautiously, stepping forward slightly.

“Before, they would make people remove certain items of clothing. Phones are also checked thoroughly. They worry that some might be involved in resistance activities. Similarly, they ask about people coming from liberated areas like Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw via Yangon. It’s not easy if you can’t answer their questions. Just respond calmly and carefully,” he continued, giving a caution.

After each passenger had been individually questioned and examined, photos were taken from the front, back, left, and right, and the military officer granted permission to enter the city.

Perhaps it was fortunate for me, unlike the younger passengers at the front, there was no detailed questioning or investigation this time.

Entry Granted into Sittwe City

The first thing noticed upon entering Sittwe city was how clean the streets were, free of plastic and trash.

This likely reflects the relatively low population density in the city.

Previously bustling roads, such as Mayu Road and other main streets, which used to be crowded with motorcycles and cars, now only had a few motorcycles, cycle rickshaws, and bicycles moving along.

The roads that were once noisy with the sounds of cars and motorcycles are now eerily quiet, like those in a rural village.

“It’s only now that the city feels a little lively again, brother. In the past, there was absolutely no one on the streets. If you went out alone in the daytime, the emptiness would make your back feel cold. By around six in the evening, you wouldn’t see a single person left on the roads. The whole town was deserted, like in those foreign zombie movies after a catastrophe. Just imagine, brother streets that used to be crowded with people, suddenly with not a single soul in sight.” explained a motorcycle taxi driver.

Only after he spoke did I realize just how deserted and eerily silent Sittwe had once been.

The state capital, Sittwe, under the shadow of war and shrouded in smoke, seemed as hauntingly still as a vast cemetery.

Yet, like the warmth of a child returning to a mother’s embrace, the familiar sights and scenes of the city bring a sense of comfort gradually dispelling the fears and anxieties, like clouds scattering under the morning sun.

Homes Left Behind, Awaiting the Return of Their Owners

According to junta records, Sittwe is home to more than 22,000 houses and a population of around 120,000 people.

By local estimates, about three-quarters of that population fled to nearby townships, as well as to Yangon and Central Myanmar, after the Arakan final offensive began on November 13, 2023.

Some of those who fled to Yangon say that, due to financial difficulties, they could no longer afford to stay there. Over the past two to three months, they have gradually begun returning to Sittwe.

“The main reason is that their belongings ran out, making it difficult to continue staying in Yangon. Rents there are very high, and there are no jobs, so it’s not easy to make a living. Here in Sittwe, there are no ongoing battles, so some people have returned as they wish. Since many already have their own homes here, they no longer have to pay rent. You could say the city, which was previously deserted, is only now starting to become a bit lively again,” explained a local resident.

Scattered along Sittwe’s main street, only a few small clothing shops, stores, pharmacies, and computer/photocopy shops have opened.

However, customer turnout remains low. A few hotels and motels are also operating, though they see only limited visitors.

“The shops have only just started opening now. However, people are so focused on getting enough food that the shops are open but not seeing much business. Liquor shops, on the other hand, are selling quite well,” a local resident said.

In the neighborhoods around the town, some areas still have a few people here and there, but most houses remain empty and closed.

On some streets, vacant lots are overgrown with weeds, and in certain blocks, houses are hidden beneath overgrown trees and shrubs.

Homes that were once bustling with families and lively activity are now deserted, silent, and overtaken by vegetation.

These houses seem to be waiting for the day their owners will return.

“In the town, we still have to be careful about robberies. There have been frequent cases of people on bicycles having their phones and wallets snatched. In some neighborhoods, it’s not safe to walk alone because there are so few people around; it makes you feel anxious,” another local resident warned.

Under the oppressive rule of the military junta, Sittwe, the regional capital, has become a place where crimes are widespread.

Civilians in Sittwe are forced to endure daily acts of violence, living as victims under the lawlessness of the regime.

Homes Dismantled for Firewood

Along the main roads of Sittwe, most residential houses remain largely intact apart from some break-ins.

However, many wooden houses and some apartment buildings inside the suburban quarters have disappeared.

This is not due to the impermanence of life but rather because people took advantage of the absence of rule of law under the junta’s control—dismantling the houses and selling them off piece by piece.

“The main problem in Sittwe right now is firewood. With no electricity and no way to go outside the city, wooden houses inside the town have been dismantled for firewood. In neighborhoods like Min Gan, people are even taking down window frames and beams. Abandoned houses are being torn apart as well. The main issue is that we can’t even find firewood to cook rice,” a local resident said.

When arriving at Mingan ward, eight middle-aged men were seen pushing a cart loaded with timber taken from dismantled houses.

In Sittwe, most of the homes dismantled for use as firewood are in the suburban wards. Locals say nearly all the houses in surrounding villages—such as Shwe Pyi Thar, Kyae Taw, Thone Saung, Gant Gaw Kyun, and Palin Pyin have also been torn down.

“In the villages, houses are being dismantled by Muslims. Wooden houses are completely gone, and even apartment buildings have their walls torn down, with the bricks resold. Those wooden houses are then used as firewood. The Rakhine people have to buy that firewood at high prices from the Muslims. It’s really heartbreaking. Right now, the only ones prospering are the Muslims. In Thae Chaung, all the old household goods are sold off—and all of those items originally belong to Rakhine villagers. The village has become like a market,” said a local man from Sittwe.

The military commission is not only looting, dismantling, and selling the homes and property of Rakhine civilians, but is also exploiting their possessions to fuel acts of ethnic hatred.

The military authorities have repeatedly used, and continue to use, ethnicity and religion as tools to maintain and consolidate their power.

“At one point, if Rakhine State were to be restored peacefully and villages rebuilt, people would have to reclaim their own land with proper land records. Right now, there are no houses left in the villages, and even the trees have been cut down. It’s impossible to tell whose land or whose home is whose anymore,” he continued.

The military commission has not only forcibly evicted local civilians from their homes and villages but has gone further—destroying entire villages to the point that they are completely wiped off the map.

Civilians in Sittwe have lost not only their lives, livelihoods, and family property, but also their homes, villages, schools, monasteries, and even ancestral villages that have been passed down for generations.

Locals Struggle to Cope

Sittwe city remains under the tight control of the junta, while surrounding townships including Pauktaw, Ponnakyun, and Rathedaung are all under the Arakan Army’s authority.

As a result, the junta has restricted civilians from traveling outside Sittwe, effectively confining them to the city.

Due to these circumstances, residents are forced to rely heavily on Yangon for basic necessities such as rice, curry oil, salt, as well as meat, fish, and vegetables.

Every morning, about five airplanes arrive in Sittwe, and locals say two of them carry meat, fish, and vegetables from Yangon.

“At around 5:30 a.m., the first plane lands. Then, just before 6 a.m., the second one lands. These two planes only bring cargo. Passengers are not on board. The return flights carry passengers back to Sittwe,” a local woman explained.

In Sittwe, residents live by the saying, “Love your land, even if you become an earthworm.” Many fear dying of hunger more than under military rule. They live under constant threat, like those already sentenced to death, waiting for the day the military authorities might hand down their next punishment.

The Rakhine people know their land well, but under military rule, they face severe hunger. Some cannot endure the suffering and die alongside their families. Those who survive without enough rice are forced to eat wild vegetables, such as banana stem cores, just to stay alive.

“The main lifeline for the people of Sittwe is the airplanes and cargo ships. When there are storms, planes cannot land, and if ships don’t arrive, the situation becomes extremely difficult. Even if people have money, there is nothing to buy. Prices for the available goods skyrocket,” said a female civilian displaced from Shwe Pyi Thar village.

Local civilians in Sittwe are only allowed to move around within the city. They have no access to income or employment opportunities and must cope with skyrocketing prices at the markets, facing severe hardship as a result.

Meat and fish brought by plane from Yangon have more than doubled or even tripled in price.

For example, one viss (approx. 1.6 kg) of pork costs around 30,000 kyat in Yangon, but in Sittwe it sells for up to 65,000 kyat. Similarly, a chicken thigh that costs about 3,000 kyat in Yangon is sold for over 10,000 kyat in Sittwe.

Due to unemployment, soaring prices, and a lack of hope for the future, some civilians are reportedly driven to consider ending their own lives, according to locals.

“Many people have no income or jobs. They are forced to survive on what little they have. Even then, when prices rise and resources run out, they lie awake at night wondering how to continue. Some develop mental health problems and even lose their sanity,” said another local resident.

The Myanmar junta has not only confined the civilians of Sittwe in overcrowded detention facilities and subjected them to extreme hunger, but is also inflicting severe psychological abuse.

Civilians in Sittwe are being verbally and mentally assaulted, while the Rakhine people’s dignity and ancestral rights are systematically violated.

These actions constitute war crimes and human rights abuses, and they also amount to acts of ethnic persecution, including the seizure and destruction of ancestral lands.

“I work as a house caretaker for others and earn 100,000 kyats a month. How can we survive on that amount? My father is sick and sometimes forgets things. We don’t have money to go to a clinic, and I can’t afford to treat my father’s illness. We are just sitting here, helpless,” another local woman said.

Because survival has become increasingly difficult, locals in Sittwe say that more young women are turning to sex work.

“There are middlemen who recruit young women, keeping their phone numbers and calling them whenever needed. The main clients are soldiers and police officers, who can pay well. Some of the hotels and guesthouses still operating in Sittwe are working with them. Think about it locals don’t even stay in these hotels since they already have homes. With travel in and out of Sittwe blocked, there are no tourists like before. Now, with tight security, even outsiders are avoiding Sittwe,” a local resident explained.

Throughout history, noble daughters of Rakhine have often risked their lives with little security during modern revolutionary wars. With their future uncertain, they are sometimes forced to compromise their personal safety and dignity just to survive temporarily.

As a consequence of such high living costs, we have also noticed an increase in people who are forced to beg for food and basic necessities.

Sittwe and Security

In Sittwe, despite the presence of junta military, police, and security checkpoints at Lokananda Pagoda junction, Clock Tower junction, and along the seaside road, people are able to move around relatively freely.

From near the main Sittwe post office to Sittwe Hotel, the junta has installed barbed wire along the seaside road.

Along this road, numerous bunkers have been built, and junta soldiers and police are stationed there.

However, on the roadside platforms in the evenings, karaoke singers and groups drinking alcohol can be seen, creating a lively atmosphere.

In the northern Shwe Mingan area of Sittwe, occasional gunfire and artillery sounds can be heard, but the city itself appears to be functioning normally.

“Before, we were scared whenever we heard gunfire or loud explosions. Now, nothing happens. They are doing their work, and we continue with ours as usual. At this point, we no longer feel afraid,” said a junta employee.

However, locals in Sittwe say that residents are frequently subjected to brutal arrests and killings, carried out not only by the junta but also by members of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) led by Saw Mra Razar Lin.

In Sittwe, nighttime checkpoints continue to conduct guest list inspections, and daily drone surveillance is still active over the city.

“Before, when they checked guest lists, they would point guns at our heads and barge into our homes. Now, I think they’ve changed some of the people. They don’t search so violently like before. Even when they check, they ask calmly and just say that outsiders aren’t allowed. That’s all,” said a local woman running a grocery store.

Sittwe and Junta Administration

The State Administrative Council team led by former Colonel U Htein Lin has been observed carrying out more urban development activities in the city.

Along some streets in Sittwe, road leveling and the planting of roadside trees have been carried out.

“The budget allocated for Rakhine State can’t be used elsewhere, so what is available is spent only in Sittwe. Additionally, whenever they have free time, officials hold meetings with staff. They invite venerable monks from Yangon to Sittwe to make donations and organize football tournaments. Although fighting continues in other areas, they are trying to create the impression that Sittwe is peaceful and enjoyable,” said a local resident of Sittwe.

In Sittwe, government offices as well as schools are observed to be open and functioning as usual.

Questions Arise Over Arakan Army

After the final Arakan offensive battles in November 2023, the Arakan Army issued statements urging civilians in junta-controlled areas to seek shelter in territories under their control.

Supporters of the Arakan Army also shared messages on social media saying, “Are you staying in Sittwe to be killed? Leave Sittwe while you still can. If you get trapped due to the fighting, it’s your own risk…”

As a result of these warnings, most city residents fled to Yangon, central Myanmar, and areas controlled by the Arakan Army for shelter.

However, both those who remained in Sittwe and those who fled to other areas have been asking questions about when the fighting will finally end.

“Residents of Sittwe are trying to endure as long as they can inside the city. However, as time goes on, it is becoming harder for people to cope. If this continues for another year, many will face serious difficulties. Right now, the most visible problem is the shortage of firewood. If this drags on, people’s homes will start to deteriorate,” said a homeowner who has stayed in Sittwe without fleeing.

In the final Arakan offensive, the Arakan Army has fully secured around fifteen townships, including the Platwady area, but residents say they have not yet launched attacks on the regional capital, Sittwe.

However, city residents report that fighting remains tense on both sides, with frequent exchanges of gunfire between the forces.

“People are fleeing in fear as rumors spread that Sittwe will soon be captured. The longer this goes on, the more civilians face hardships. In my view, if Sittwe is going to be captured, it would be better to do it quickly. Right now, it is the civilians who are suffering; the junta isn’t the one facing these difficulties,” said another Sittwe resident.

At a press briefing held by the ULA/AA on August 11, a reporter asked when the fighting might end, noting that prolonged conflict is making it increasingly difficult for civilians to meet their basic needs.

Khine Thu Kha, a spokesperson for the Arakan Army, provided a response to the question.

“It is difficult to say when the war will end. This is directly linked to what the violent junta forces do next. Therefore, we can only announce our next steps after assessing the enemy’s movements and situation,” he responded.

In the final phase of the Arakan offensive, the Arakan Army has completely secured fifteen townships. However, analysts say it is likely taking time to prepare and plan an offensive to capture Sittwe, the state capital, which hosts Indian investments.

Overview of Sittwe

On the surface, Sittwe appears calm and stable, aside from strict security checks, and some local residents have already started returning, bringing a slight sense of revival to the city.

However, as phone lines remain unavailable in every neighborhood and mobile internet services are still shut down, communication difficulties persist.

Moreover, because people are sparsely scattered in the city, living far apart from one household to another, residents in Sittwe fear that looting could break out.

Amidst various hardships and movements of resistance, townspeople continue to debate in teashops whether urban battles in Sittwe will continue or whether such fighting is no longer possible.

For those considering returning to live in Sittwe, the unavoidable questions remain how to cope with soaring commodity prices, widespread unemployment, and poor communication networks.

In the Arakan final offensive, the state capital capture campaign intended to deliver a decisive end to the war with the backing of major neighboring countries remains a challenge for the Arakan Army. The question is whether the Arakan Army will employ strategies that secure victory without damaging India’s strategic interests and partnerships.

In this decisive phase of the war, the Arakan Army and the junta’s forces are locked in a contest of strength. The state capital, Sittwe shrouded in smoke has become the focal point of battles for liberation, with the Arakan people waiting from the coastal areas in anticipation.