Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
Many resident in Arakan state in western Myanmar have complained of spread of corruption, bribery and favoritism under the rule of Arakan Buddhist militias (Arakan Army) which controls most of the state.
A Rakhine resident told Arakan News Agency that bribery and favoritism are the most common in all areas under the rule of the militia. “Those with high status always get special treatment, we’ve seen a lot of wrongful punishments. They’re still following the same procedures as successive past governments…I think in the administration and judiciary, people should be appointed after thorough vetting”.
Another resident stated that “I don’t know whether AA leaders are aware of what’s going on at the ground level or not, but we can see it; if someone is close to the officers and commanders, they are treated differently compared to ordinary people like us. Even for things like getting internet access by paying money, the way they treat you is different. When it comes to business activities, only relatives of the officers are allowed to operate smoothly. To put it simply, they’re the ones who enjoy special privileges”.
A resident form Kyauktaw said that the people in charge on the ground should treat citizens with fairness and justice, and those who show off their positions and power should also be handled decisively.
In recent months, residents have expressed anger over several incidents, including the release of a suspect for more than a year after he was accused of sexually assaulting a girl, the mysterious death of a suspect in detention then alleging he died in an accident, and the extremely slow trial of a group accused of sexually assaulting a child.
Despite vivid accounts from residents of widespread corruption and the absence of the rule of law across Arakan state, the Arakan militia attributes these conditions to a lack of qualified personnel.
The armed Arakan Buddhist militia has controlled 14 of the 17 towns in Arakan sate since launching a military campaign against the Myanmar military in November 2023 to seize control of the state. The Rohingya are among the most persecuted groups in Arakan, suffering violence and discrimination at the hands of the Arakan militia. They are subjected to forced displacement, detention, and forced labor, as well as confiscation of their property and homes, the settlement of Rakhine people there, and restrictions on their movement between villages.
