Arakan Liberation Army
ရခိုင်ပြည် လွတ်မြောက်ရေး တပ်မတော်
LeadersKhine Ray Khine[1]
Khine Soe Mya(General)
Khaing Moe Lunn †
Khine Min Soe(Major General)
Dates of operation20 November 1968 (1968-11-20) – present
HeadquartersSittwe, Rakhine State
Active regionsKayin State
Rakhine State
IdeologyRakhine nationalism[2]
Federalism[3]
Size300-500[1]
Part ofArakan Liberation Party
Allies Arakan Army
Karen National Liberation Army
Shan State Army - South
Opponents Tatmadaw
Union of Myanmar (until 2011)
Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (until 1988)
Indian Armed Forces (1977 border clash)
Non-state opponents:
Arakan Army
Battles and warsInternal conflict in Myanmar
Motto"Liberty, Equality, Fraternity"

The Arakan Liberation Army (Burmese: ရခိုင်ပြည် လွတ်မြောက်ရေး တပ်မတော်; abbreviated ALA) is a Rakhine insurgent group in Myanmar (Burma).[2] It is the armed wing of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP). The ALA signed a ceasefire agreement with the government of Myanmar on 5 April 2012.[1]

History

1968–1969

The Arakan Liberation Army (ALA) was founded on 20 November 1968 with the help of the Karen National Union (KNU), which organised, trained, and supplied the ALA with ammunition and vehicles. On 26 November 1968, Khai Ray Khai, a member of the ALP's central committee, along with nine other associates, were arrested in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, by Burmese authorities. In December 1968, several arrests of the ALP's leaders led to the dissolution of the ALA and the ALP.[3]

1971–1977

Between 1971 and 1972, former political prisoners from the ALP were released on amnesty. As soon as Khaing Moe Lunn, a former ALP political prisoner, was released, he departed to the village of Komura to meet with KNU leaders in order to re-establish the ALA. From 1973 to 1974, the ALA was re-established with help from the KNU, and 300 fighters were recruited and trained, with Lunn as commander-in-chief of the ALA.[3]

Between April and May 1977, 120 ALA fighters led by Lunn engaged with the Indian Armed Forces and the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces) at the India-Myanmar border. Ten ALA fighters were killed, including Lunn, over 70 were arrested by Indian and Burmese authorities, and 40 were disarmed and arrested. An additional 20 went missing during retreats from government forces, and 30 of the arrested were executed by shooting. A further 55 others were charged with treason under Article 122 of the then constitution; 11 of them were sentenced to death, and the rest to life imprisonment. The group ceased to exist once again, as it became increasingly risky to operate illegally.[3]

1980–present

In 1980, all ALA prisoners were released on amnesty. In 1981, the ALA was once again re-established and assisted by the KNU. The ALA was then led under the new leadership of Khai Ray Khai.[3] Presently, the ALA campaigns on a nationalist agenda, and has been openly hostile towards the Rohingya ethnic minority in Rakhine State, claiming that they are not natives of the region, but illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.[4]

On the morning of 4 January 2023, three ALA leaders, Major Gen. Khine Soe Mya (commander-in-chief), Lieutenant Col. Khine Kyaw Soe and Captain Khine Thuri Na, were driving from the Independence Day celebrations they attended in the city of Sittwe when they were assassinated by unknown assailants.[5][6][7] Soon after, the ALA accused the Arakan Army of having perpetrated the assassination.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Myanmar Peace Monitor - Arakan Liberation Party". Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Arakan Liberation Party Homepage". Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Arakan Liberation Party - About ALP". Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Arakan Liberation Party - So-Called Rohingya". Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "Myanmar Junta Allies Assassinated in Rakhine State". The Irrawaddy. Irrawaddy Publishing Group. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Myanmar Junta-Allied Rakhine Group Accuses Arakan Army of Assassinations". The Irrawaddy. Irrawaddy Publishing Group. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  7. ↑ Hein Htoo Zan (3 July 2023). "Myanmar's Arakan Army Denies Carrying Out Deadly Attack on Rival Rakhine Group". The Irrawaddy. Irrawaddy Publishing Group. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
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