The
AA group, which is being monitored and taken action by international
organizations including the UN for recent killing of Bengali people and arson
attack against Bengali villages, is an insurgent of terrorist group which is
largely undertaking narcotics smuggling.
The
AA group, which has emerged in the KIA area since 2009, has primarily earned
income to stand on its own from narcotics smuggling like its godfather KIA,
UWSA, MNDAA and TNLA. Actually, the AA group has neither firm businesses nor money
by extortion from Rakhine people since its establishment. It has mainly relied
on the income earned from drug smuggling to purchase food, arms and ammunition.
Like
the course of insurgents of terrorists in north-eastern part of Shan State, the
AA group has made manufacture, distribution and
sale of illicit drugs as its major business. It
is undertaking narcotics smuggling both at home and abroad. Accordingly, it is
witnessed that the involvement of AA members in frequent seizures of
drug-trafficking.
According
to the records of seizures of narcotics by Myanmar Police Force, there had been MMK 294.82 billion (over USD
1,400 million) worth of nine seizures of AA-related drug smugglings between
2016 and March 2024. For evident example, authorities had seized MMK 51.87
billion (over USD 24 million) worth of 2.07 tonnes of ICE (Crystal Meth) and
800 kilos of prohibited chemical caffeine between 3 and 9 December 2023. In that
case, a drug-related gang which comprises of four officers of AA, three other
ranks of AA and eight civilians were arrested. The gang is manipulated by Kyaw
Myat Oo (aka) Mg Naing (aka) Thar Thar (aka) Wai Thar Tun, a trusted person as
well as a person-in-charge of earners for AA who is at the rank of Colonel in
AA, as per the instruction of AA Leader Twan Mrat Naing.
According to the confession of AA members under
interrogation, the AA group transports ICE (Crystal Meth) stimulant tablets,
manufactured by ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) in Shan State, to Rakhine
State by road and sea through Mandalay and Yangon. Again, the AA group
distributes those drugs in Rakhine State and Bangladesh’s border areas. Next,
it smuggles drugs to Malaysia and Indonesia by Rakhine waters. Finally, it
mainly smuggles drugs to other foreign markets through Malaysia and Indonesia.
Among
those tasked in AA’s illegal drug-trade, majority people are AA Leader Twan
Mrat Naing’s confidants, who are working at AA Headquarters in Laiza, KIA’s
area. The arrestees did not carry out drug-trafficking for personal interests
but they did it for the AA group as a duty. They receive higher salary and
opportunities than other AA members. Their tasks are sectioned into
transporting, carrying and selling. The benefits earned from drug-trafficking
are used under the management of AA Leader Twan Mrat Naing. He contacts with
arms trafficking gangs and exchanges weapons with stimulant tablets. Some 70
per cent of income earned from drug-trafficking is used for purchasing arms and
ammunition.
The
AA group’s drug market is connected with international drug-gangs in European
countries including the U.S and Middle East countries through Malaysia and
Bangladesh. As the main route, the stimulant tablets and ICE (Crystal Meth)
that are produced in EAOs’ controlled-areas of northern and north-eastern parts
of Myanmar is transported through Mandalay. Again, Yangon ports are used to
transport those drugs to foreign countries. The drug-trafficking is then made
to Malaysia and Indonesia by sea. As an overland route, the AA group is making
drug-smuggling to Bangladesh through Mandalay, Meiktila, Pyawbwe, Magway,
Padan, Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U.
As
of the records of Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) in Bangladesh, the
number of people who make stimulant tablet abuse is around 8 million. Over the
past three years, it has been included in the list of the top (5) countries on
yearly seizure of stimulant tablets (Yaba).
The DNC team seized more than 50 million stimulant tablets in every
year. The 2021 report by DNC team stated that the seized stimulant tablets have
been transported into Bangladesh from AA’s controlled-areas and the AA members
are involved in the drug-related cases behind the seizures.
Following
the emergence of the AA group, stimulant tablets (Yaba) become plentiful in
Rakhine State. As a result, Rakhine youths as well as those from Bengali
refugee camps at the border area with Bangladesh have become increased.
Particularly, the stimulant tablet abuses were much in evidence at the AA
members who died in some battles.
Concurrently, the AA group reportedly forced its members to use
narcotics for armed combat.
Even though the AA armed terrorist group is
formed with majority of Rakhine people, it is not accepted by all innocent
Rakhine people and it does not represent Rakhine State and people. It is led by
a group of extreme racist of Rakhine people who are treading down Rakhine State
and people for their personal interests. The AA group is just an armed
narco-terrorist group which disturbs peace and stability of Rakhine State and
carries out illegal drug-trade largely.
With
extreme racism and illegal drug-trade, the AA group comes to build up. Thus,
they have evidently started to kill and torture Bengali people in Rakhine
State.
In
the past, security personnel made utmost efforts to stabilize the areas in
Rakhine State, making balance in accordance with the laws in communal conflicts
between Rakhine and Bengali people. After security personnel are absent from
the areas, the lawless atrocities by AA group’s against local residents have
obviously emerged. As a result, international community has become fully aware
of the atrocities.
In
fact, global countries come to pay attention to AA insurgent of terrorist group
because it has killed Bengali people and torched Bengali villages in Buthidaung
and Maungdaw areas, Rakhine State. It earns money from drug-trafficking and is
going on the course of armed terrorist attacks. This article serves to
highlight dangerous AA drug lords who endanger all human beings and lets
international community know about it.
The AA group’s drug-trafficking is undeniable
because there have been strong evidence and eye-witnesses. I’d like to urge
international community not to support the AA armed terrorist group which is
generating its major income from cultivation,
manufacture, distribution and sale of illicit drugs.
The Government has intensified its efforts to combat
narcotics, regarding as a national duty. Likewise, it can be seen that the
Government is putting an emphasis on seizure of drug-trafficking, blocking the
AA group’s drug-trade route. According to the confessions of drug-related
perpetrators and evidence, the drug-trade of the AA group is undeniable.
Moreover, this article exposes the AA group is also connecting with drug lords,
illegal arms trafficking and transnational human trafficking from foreign
countries.
Min Khant