AyeMyat Khaing, Narinjara News, 16 October 2024

Allphone and internet services in Arakan State have been suspended by the junta,with the exception of Sittwe, Ann, and Gwa, which are still governed by themilitary.

Dueto the broken connections, locals in the area have not been able to interactsince October 12.

"Ihave not been able to contact my family since the evening of October 12, afterwitnessing news of airstrikes in Ramree, Taungup, Myebon, and Kyauktaw,"said Ma Nwe Chey, a Mrauk-U Township resident who is currently employed inThailand.

NarinjaraNews's investigations verify that the formerly connected areas of Kyaukphyu,Manaung, Myebon, Taungup, and Thandwe are now without phone or internet service.

 "MPTis still available here, but the signal is faint," stated a Sittweresident. I attempted to get in touch with people in neighboring townships, butI was unable."

AnotherSittwe woman, who left the fighting for safety in Yangon, talked about hereveryday concerns, mentioning that phone connections were cut off when theairstrikes over Arakan State were at their worst.

"Ihave no means of knowing what is occurring in Arakan now since there is nonews," the woman remarked.

 Not only that,but information concerning the suffering of the Arakan people is not availableto the rest of the world. I genuinely want to know what is going on, how theyare doing, and whether they are okay. I am constantly anxious."

 Accordingto some sources, the junta turned off the phone and the internet in ArakanState in order to hide its breaches of human rights. There are also allegationsthat the airstrikes damaged key communication routes.

 The phone andinternet services in Arakan were suspended by the junta in January of thisyear, although they have subsequently been restored in certain regions.However, in areas still ruled by the junta, all lines of communication have nowbeen cut.

 Formonths, the junta has blocked phone and internet services in places under theauthority of the Arakan Army (AA), including as Maungdaw, Buthidaung,Rathedaung, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Pauktaw, and Ramree inArakan, as well as Paletwa Town in Chin State.

Thejunta shut down internet access in the majority of Arakan townships in 2019,sparking demonstrations and significant criticism.