The head of the military council, senior general Min AungHlaing, emphasized in his message on the 49th anniversary ofRakhine State Day the need of ethnic brothers working together to find along-term political solution.

U Pe Than, a seasoned politician with expertise in militaryaffairs and politics in Rakhine, sees this as an attempt to make a politicalgetaway.

"Today marks the 49th anniversary of RakhineState Day. However, the people of Rakhine are deprived of the chance to trulycelebrate it as a State Day. The absence of meaningful initiatives, aside fromoffering consolation to ethnic groups on these occasions, is identified as theroot cause of the ongoing civil unrest,” he added.

The  State Day is observed on 15 December and onthe occasion  the junta chief conveyed a message urging adherence to thepath of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) for the sustainable peace inthe country.

"Only by following the path of NCA for the peaceof the Union can we realize the aspiration of building a great, peacefulnation. Achieving the independence of our country from foreign interference andinternal challenges requires engaging in political dialogue and seekingsolutions based on the unity among ethnic brothers. Emphasizing that strengthresides solely within the nation, we urge all ethnic groups to collaborate forthe country's benefit through the unity of its diverse people," said MinAung Hlaing's message.

U Pe Than asserted that Min Aung Hlaing's mention ofpursuing an NCA path for peace in the Union is  an attempt to seek apolitical exit.

 "At present, the Arakan Army (AA) hasemerged in Rakhine State, and ethnic armed organizations are actively engagedin revolutions within ethnic areas. Today, the military council is grapplingwith diverse challenges. It is in this context that such statements are beingmade. These remarks appear to be an attempt to navigate a path out of theircurrent difficulties,” he added.

U Pe Than criticized the military council, pointingout that if their intention was to address the real issues, there is no validreason for treating the Rakhine civilians as they are not involved in thecurrent conflicts, as the enemies subjecting them to attacks.

"In reality, they lack genuine goodwill. Theiractions indicate a lack of goodwill towards the Rakhine region.  With thisintention, to achieve peace in the Union seems to be unlikely," added U PeThan.

Min Aung Hlaing stated that considering the historicalchallenges faced by the Rakhine State, especially in transportation, there iswidespread recognition that the military government's dedicated attention hasresulted in notable improvements and progress in the region.

However, he alleged that stability and peace havepresently been disrupted due to the actions of ethnic armed groups and foreigninterference, and local ethnic groups experiencing the detrimental effects ofmeaningless shootings, attacks, harassment, and conflicts.

U Pe Than responded that amidst the ongoing conflictsin the Rakhine region, including Operation 1027, the military council'semphasis on political dialogue indicates its struggle with military challengesand its search for a political and economic exit.

In Min Aung Hlaing's message, he highlighted that therelief & rehabilitation efforts for the victims of cyclone Mocha in RakhineState were swiftly executed, restoring the region to its original state withina short period. Also, he noted that this demonstrated a sense of family, truepatriotism, and unity spirit to the ethnic people of the Rakhine region.

"All the people themselves know that they did notreceive any help from the military during and after Mocha. The military councilis talking about their good reputation. Even international aid was blocked bythe military. There was no initiative by the military dictators to support thepeople. The people received only ten bags of rice for the entire village andone or two cans of rice per person. Some did not receive any help at all. Theydidn't do anything about emergency relief and assistance to save the peoplefrom suffering," asserted U Pe Than.

He urged  Min Aung Hlaing to speak on the topicsof political dialogue and solutions, only after the states were granted theirlegal  rights.

Currently, the conflict in Rakhine State isescalating, and as the soldiers are gradually relinquishing crucial militarybases, there emerges a notable focus on seeking a ceasefire with the AA andpursuing the peace.

On 14 December,  it was reported that during the45-day operation initiated on 13 November in Rakhine State, the AA successfully gained control over 142 military bases.