It is amusing to hear from the Defence Minister General Soe Win that the Arakan Army (AA) is an anti-democratic force, while the Tatmadaw or Burma Army is portrayed as a protector of democratic institution. The Defence Minister seems to be conveniently forgetting that over the years, there are tons of Tatmadaw’s human rights violation record, stored by internationally known rights organizations. And as such, it cannot claim to be the protector of a democratically installed government of U Htin Kyaw, or better Suu Kyi.

To be able to assume such credential, the Burma Army would need to shed its “a state within a state” posture of implementing its own policy initiative outside of the government, especially where resolving the issue of ethnic conflict is concerned.

Generally speaking, the AA has every right to be in Arakan State, while Burma Army is seen as an occupation troops, so far as the Arakanese people are concerned, as the nine Townships’ demonstartions involving thousands recently calling to stop the war within the State have shown.