SECURITY is the main reason behind the Internet shutdown in Rakhine and Chin states, where fighting continues between the military and the Arakan Army (AA) insurgent group.
The President’s Office spokes-man, U Zaw Htay, said the government understood the concerns of human rights activists, including the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, but security was its priority in the area, according to The Myanmar Times.
“Other countries have similar practices for security concerns,” he said recently.
Last week, UN human rights experts said the Internet shutdown had affected more than a million people in Rakhine State.
The suspension of mobile Internet could not be justified, they said, calling for an end to the shutdown.
Zaw Htay said the shutdown affected townships where there was intense fighting.
“The military proposed nine townships for the shutdown. The government checked the townships and closed five of them. The Internet ban is not continuous.
“It will be lifted and reintroduced as necessary.”
The government was taking steps to prevent the situation in Rakhine from deteriorating, he said.
He added that the government would lift the ban as soon as the security situation improved.
Zaw Htay said the government was providing help to the military to tackle the security problem in Rakhine and Chin.
“We helped negotiate the reopening of the road and water routes affected by the fighting.”
AA said people who wanted to bring food to Paletwa needed to get its approval first.
Zaw Htay said the AA was belligerent, but the government was willing to talk with the organisation. “AA and Kachin Independence Army are members of the Northern Alliance, which is holding informal talks with the government.
“We’ve been pursuing peace with AA and KIA. We planned to meet in the second week of February, but it was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak in China.”
The government is holding peace negotiations with 10 ethnic armed groups that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.