Final Decisive Phase of the War in Arakan

The Arakan Army (AA), as part of a Three Brotherhood Alliance in the “1027 Military Operation,” carried out an attack on November 13th of last year, targeting a Myanmar junta’s checkpoint located on the Maungdaw-Ah Ngu Maw Road in the Arakan region, successfully capturing it.

Since the start of the decisive conflict in Arakan, the Myanmar junta has intentionally targeted villages, towns, schools, and monasteries, causing widespread destruction, according to the people of Arakan.

The Arakan Army has announced that, in addition to targeting villages, the Myanmar junta has also deliberately attacked and destroyed monasteries, Christian churches, and Islamic religious schools.

The Arakan Army has fully captured and taken control of several towns, including Paletwa, Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Ponnakyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk U, Minbrar, Myaybon, Pauktaw, Rambre, and Thandwe. Additionally, they are continuing their offensive to capture Maungdaw, Ann, Gwa, and Taunggoke, while military tensions are also escalating in Sittwe, Kyaukphru, and Man Aung, according to the people of Arakan.

The Arakan Army has declared its intention to fully capture and control the entire Arakan region, leading to an intensification of the conflict. As a result, the number of war refugees is expected to increase. Analysts warn that monasteries, where many refugees are sheltering, could become prime targets for further attacks.

In the course of one year of the Arakan war, the Myanmar junta has primarily targeted and destroyed villages, towns, and Buddhist monasteries. According to a statement released by the Arakan Army on November 13th, up to 70 Buddhist monasteries have been destroyed by the junta’s attacks.

War Refugee Monasteries

Since the start of the war between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military in 2014, war refugees have primarily sought shelter in Buddhist monasteries, according to the refugees themselves.

In the Arakan region, where the majority of the population follows Buddhism, Buddhist monasteries and other religious buildings are more prevalent, according to the people of Arakan. As a result, most war refugees have sought shelter in Buddhist monasteries and Buddhist-related structures.

According to the war refugees, since the beginning of the Arakan Army’s offensive in 2019 and continuing until the Myanmar military’s coup in 2021, the majority of war refugees have sought shelter in Buddhist monasteries.

According to the people of Arakan, nearly all the refugee camps in the region were initially opened in Buddhist monasteries, and to this day, war refugees continue to shelter in these Buddhist monasteries.

“The monasteries have plenty of space and more room to stay. There are also proper toilets and drinking water. Being in a temple or a meditation center would generally feel more peaceful. However, now it’s no longer peaceful. We feel anxious when we hear the sound of planes,” said a female war refugee from Maungdaw Township.

“During the one-year war in Rakhine, the number of war refugees exceeded 550,000, with nearly 360,000 of them being women. This means that 57% of the refugee population consists of women,” stated the Humanitarian and Development Cooperation Office (HDCO) of the Arakan People’s Government on November 18.

Religious Freedom

Since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, which overthrew the democratically elected government, religious freedom in Myanmar has been steadily declining, according to reports from international religious freedom monitoring organizations.

The military junta in Myanmar has systematically continued to violate religious freedom, and Myanmar’s religious freedom has been severely deteriorating, as stated in the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report released on October 31, 2024.

Therefore, Myanmar has been designated by the U.S. Department of State as a country of particular concern regarding religious freedom.

It was suggested that armed revolutionary groups have attacked and captured areas controlled by the Myanmar junta and established administrative machinery, which has led the Myanmar junta to escalate its attacks and destruction.

It was also commented that the escalation of armed conflicts has had a negative impact on religious freedom (or the right to freely practice one’s religion).

The Violations of the Myanmar Junta

The destruction of religious sites constitutes a violation of human rights, and Myanmar Witness stated on November 25 that it is documenting evidence of the destruction of protected sites throughout the conflict in Myanmar.

There are two forms of violations of freedom of religion: one being the government’s restrictions and oppression, and the other being the hostility of society towards it.

Among the government’s restrictions and oppression are punishments for conversion, expulsion, refusal to officially recognize a religion, denial of the right to assemble, granting special privileges to a single religion within the country, denial of permission to construct religious buildings, closure and destruction of such buildings, denial of the right to organize and celebrate religious ceremonies, requiring official recognition, support, or permission for religious practices, legal actions for criticizing religion, restrictions on the right to live according to religious beliefs, dress codes, and restrictions on the expression of religious identity. Additionally, citizenship is denied in various ways based on religion.

Discrimination, hatred, violent confrontations, and the destruction of religious symbols, emblems, and buildings by society, as well as the denial of the right to freely practice and pray in a peaceful environment, threats, coercion, and extreme pressure to convert to a single religion, and the exclusion and discrimination against converts, all constitute violations of the right to freely practice one’s religion.

After seizing power, the military junta are primarily targeting Christian religious churches in Chin, Karenni, Kachin, and northern Shan states, carrying out attacks and destruction, and also using religion to spread their ideology.”

In addition, after the start of the “1027 Military Operation” by the Three Brotherhood Alliance, the Myanmar junta has been targeting and destroying Christian churches, including Buddhist monasteries, in northern Shan.

Furthermore, the people of Arakan have stated that in areas where the Arakan Army has launched military operations and taken control, the junta’s main targets for destruction have been villages, homes, and Buddhist monasteries.

Are the Monasteries being targeted?

In the final phase of the Arakan war, the junta forces have targeted and destroyed over 70 Buddhist monasteries, according to a statement released by the Arakan Army on November 13.

Among them, in Mrauk U 18 monasteries were targeted; 12 in Maungdaw; 11 in Thandwe; 8 in Taunggoke; 3 in Ponnakyun; 3 in Myaybon; 3 in Minbrar; 3 in Gwa; 2 in Rathedaung; 2 in Buthidaung; 2 in Kyauktaw; 1 in Kyaukphru; 1 in Ann; and 1 in Pauktaw.

Additionally, during November, the junta also carried out airstrikes on five more monasteries, and since residential areas, villages, and towns were also destroyed, the monks have stated that they are struggling not only to find places to stay but also to receive their daily alms as usual.

“Even though we are all displaced, the monks are facing even more difficulties. The laypeople are also struggling for their basic needs, and they can barely manage to provide alms. In the midst of this, we are also living in fear of airstrikes,” said a displaced monk from Maungdaw Township to the Border News Agency.

According to local residents in Maungdaw, on November 2nd, the junta launched an airstrike with bombs targeting the Buddhist monastery in Prarthar Village, Maungdaw Township, resulting in injuries to a displaced monk.

According to residents of Buthidaung, on November 10th, the junta carried out airstrikes on LamMa Buddhist monastery in Ward 2 of Buthidaung Town, which was under the control of the Arakan Army (AA). The strike caused significant damage to the monastery’s Dhamma hall. Additionally, another airstrike targeted the Myaseinroung Buddhist Monastery in Ward 5 of Buthidaung Town on the same day, injuring one monk.

Monks have stated that during the Arakan war, the junta has deliberately targeted and carried out airstrikes on Buddhist monasteries, and their actions have been aimed at destroying religious institutions. They also pointed out that the junta’s attacks on areas with large numbers of displaced people are part of a deliberate strategy to undermine religion.

A monk from Buthidaung town told Border News Agency, “They know that there are monasteries and that monks are present. They know that there are displaced people. But they came with aircraft and bombed. The junta is deliberately attacking and destroying religion. They don’t care for any religion.”

During the decisive phase of the Arakan war, the Myanmar junta not only targeted and destroyed Buddhist monasteries but also attacked and destroyed ancient historical pagodas and stupas. The people of Arakan have reported that the junta has used heavy artillery and airstrikes to destroy the ancient areas of Mrauk U.

Additionally, in Gwa Township, one Christian church and in Maungdaw Township, two Islamic religious buildings were also destroyed, as stated in the Arakan Army’s press release.

The Arakan Army has officially stated that it will continue its operations and take full control of the entire Arakan region. As the attacks are ongoing, the junta forces are likely to continue targeting Buddhist monasteries. Therefore, analysts from the Rakhine conflict monitoring groups have suggested that IDPs should no longer seek refuge in Buddhist monasteries.

As the junta forces continue to target Buddhist monasteries, monks, along with civilians, have become displaced, leading to a situation where monks are also forced to live as IDPs. The displaced monks have stated that they are no longer able to practice their religious rituals and are unable to carry out their daily offerings as usual.

A displaced monk from Maungdaw Township shared his current experience, saying, “We are unable to receive alms or teachings, and we are constantly worried about not being able to reach Nirvana due to the threat of airstrikes,” as he told Border News Agency.