“The junta’s military airstrikes on an ancient city, Mrauk U, is a violation of international law regarding military operations,” human rights activists and cultural heritage preservationists said.
After the Arakan Army (AA) and the junta’s military had clashed on December 13, the junta’s air force bombarded with Mi-35 helicopter, damaging to some ancient pagodas in Mrauk U town.
“International law states that bombing should not be carried out during a civil war. Now the junta’s military bombed the villages. Also, in the Rakhine Region, they bombed the ancient heritage city, Mrauk U. Firing with large-scale weapons and planes is a violation of international law from living in domestic land,” a human rights activist said.
Mrauk U is a city with sacred ancient cultural heritage of the Rakhine (Arakan) people, and the bombing on the city is an insult to the Rakhine people and their culture, he added.
“Each ethnic and race has already their ancient cultural heritage which is sacred in every nation. Mrauk U is also an ancient city that is valued by the Rakhine people. But the junta intentionally bombed on that city, so there is nothing to be satisfied with for the Rakhine people,” a resident in Mrauk U said.
As a result of the junta’s helicopter attack, ancient stupas in Mrauk U were hit by bullets, but MPA cannot confirm the number of stupas damaged yet.
“We are people who love cultural heritages, so we are protecting and preserving these cultures and heritages. While doing this, I can only say that it was sad and miserable when the junta’s bombardment caused damage. The impact will be watched,” a cultural heritage preservationist, Mrauk U resident, said.
While the junta troops from two military camps _ on Taung Phyu Mountain where is far 3 miles from Phayar Mountain and _ on Phayar Mountain in Pan Myaung village in Minbya Township bordering Mrauk U city _ were moving to Mrauk U Police Station on December 13, the Arakan Army intercepted and attacked them for almost 4 hours.
In April of 2019, when Arakan Army (AA) attacked the junta’s police battalion in Mrauk-U, the junta’s military had bombed with fighter jets.