As Myanmar Buddhists prepare to welcome a new year, it is the third consecutive under threat of pandemic and the second consecutive under military rule. Economic circumstances are dire for many, but optimism remains. Prominent Arakanese figures and residents have shared their wishes for Myanmar’s Buddhist New Year with DMG as the country looks ahead to ME 1384.

Last week, the anti-junta National Unity Government (NUG) extended an offer to the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) to hold informal talks, with a focus on how best to go about overthrowing Myanmar’s military regime and establishing a federal democracy.

Daily and prolonged blackouts are severely disrupting lives across Arakan State, which is — residents often note with irony — rich in natural gas and other energy resources. Ordinary citizens and businesses alike are suffering as many are forced to make the difficult choice between going without electricity or paying increasingly expensive costs to run generators at a time of soaring fuel prices.

As the Arakan Army (AA) and its political wing, the United League of Arakan (ULA), strive to expand their influence among the diverse peoples of Arakan State, the ULA/AA recently expressed their desire to also build better relations with neighbouring Bangladesh. To that end, the ULA/AA issued a statement marking International Mother Language Day on February 21, calling on the communities either side of the Naf River, which separates the two geographically, to strengthen ties politically, economically, diplomatically and culturally.

With Myanmar’s politics upended by the military coup more than one year ago, anti-regime forces have largely coalesced around the need for a future Myanmar that is based on federalism. However, the exact contours of that system remain the subject of much debate and differing visions. 

All air passengers, including those who are fully vaccinated, are now required to submit a negative Covid-19 test within 48 hours of their flight in order to board, the Arakan State Department of Public Health announced last week. DMG has compiled a selection of views on the Covid-19 testing of flight passengers, while other forms of travel remain unrestricted and not subject to any kind of testing requirement. 

Many universities in Myanmar have been closed for almost two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the military coup on February 1, 2021. DMG recently interviewed several students in Arakan State to find out how they have been affected by the extended disruption to their education, and what they have lost.

Junta chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing said last week that his regime would push for implementation of a law requiring all Myanmar citizens to serve in the military. The announcement said enforcement of legislation that was passed more than a decade ago would be a priority of his administration this year. 

February 1, 2022, was the one-year anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar. Over the past year, hundreds of people have been killed across the country, thousands have been imprisoned for their opposition to the junta, and Myanmar’s economy has been devastated. To mark the occasion, DMG interviewed people from all walks of life in Arakan State, asking them to reflect on the one-year anniversary of the coup. 

Electricity consumers in Arakan State complain of facing regular power outages while at the same time having to pay regular electricity fees. Some of these outages are prolonged, affecting small businesses, local industries and the broader Arakan State economy. DMG asked a cross-section of state residents about the problems caused by frequent electricity disruptions.

The Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) announced on January 6 that it would join forces with other Arakanese armed groups and political parties that are working to create a better future for the Arakanese people. Following the ALP statement, DMG compiled a selection of views and opinions from local stakeholders.

Amid the post-coup confusion, DMG interviewed Padoh Saw Taw Nee, head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Karen National Union (KNU), one of the most powerful NCA signatories, even as the accord increasingly looks like an historical document of waning relevance. 

The state’s political situation has not significantly changed now. All are peaceful under the control of the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA). So, if the situation is not changed in 2022, the state will be peaceful. However, the situation in 2022 will be decided according to the military situation, I think.

In a statement on December 17, the United League of Arakan (ULA) — the Arakan Army’s political wing — said that some townships in Arakan State had experienced a “series of extraordinary events” this month that it warned could lead to sectarian conflict. How do the different ethnic groups in Arakan State view the ULA’s statement? To find out, DMG interviewed people in Arakan State from both the Arakanese and Muslim communities, which have been in conflict in the past.

Thirty-seven people tested positive for Covid-19 from November 30 to December 16 in Arakan State, and one person succumbed to the virus. Most of the cases were airline passengers or people involved in the border trade with Bangladesh. 

In a statement on December 10, the Arakan Army (AA) said tensions were rising between the ethnic armed group and junta (Tatmadaw) forces as the latter were travelling from one village to another in Arakan State and frequently repositioning their troops, citing a variety of pretexts. On the ground, residents have raised concerns about the possibility of fresh clashes. 

Myanmar’s military regime has announced that basic education and Grade 10 students will sit their final exams in March and April of next year. Schools were temporarily closed in July due to the third wave of Covid-19, with students only returning to the classroom last month and facing a compressed academic calendar. DMG interviewed students, parents and teachers about the difficulties they are facing amid a tumultuous year. 

The planned construction of a Buddhist religious edifice, known as a dhammayon, on the Sittwe University grounds has prompted debate over the role of religion on campuses in Myanmar. DMG recently spoke to a variety of stakeholders about the matter.

Reporters from Arakan State-based Western News went into hiding earlier this month after junta forces attempted to find the location of the news outlet’s office in Sittwe. DMG recently spoke to the chief editor of Western News, Wunna Khwar Nyo, about the incident and its implications for press freedom in Arakan State and beyond.