8 A NATION LEFT BEHIND 2. One Day, Three Declarations MAR First two cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Myanmar 23 Arakan Army declared a terrorist organization Ministry of Communications and Transport orders telecoms providers to block “fake news” The Myanmar military has been engaged in an escalating offensive against the AA in displaced since 2018 according to a statement by the UN.12 Rakhine and southern Chin States since 2018, It is noteworthy then that on the same day which last year involved the “unprecedented” as the announcement that the coronavirus had deployment of half of the military’s Light taken hold in Myanmar, the government issued Infantry Divisions to the region.9 The AA’s a declaration classifying the AA as a terrorist demands include self-determination for the organization. In the directive, President Win Arakanese people in the form of a confederation Myint described the AA as posing “a danger within Rakhine State, so as to have decision- to law and order, peace and stability of the making power on politics and development in country and public peace,”13 and said it was their territory.10 According to the UN Office an illegal organization in accordance with for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs the colonial-era Unlawful Associations Act, (OCHA), there have been 70,000 people Section 15 (2). Ironically, the crimes attributed displaced by the fighting in the last year alone, by the Myanmar state to the AA to justify their marking a 40 percent increase since the end of “terrorist” status – the arrest and torture of 2019.11 More than 157,000 people have been local leaders, shootings, the use of landmines, 9 Anthony Davis. “Why Myanmar is losing the Rakhine war.” 3 July 2019. Asia Times. Available at: https://asiatimes. com/2019/07/why-myanmar-is-losing-the-rakhine-war/ 10 Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint. “Confederation the Only Option for Arakanese People, AA Chief Says.” 11 January 2019. The Irrawaddy. Available at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/confederation-option-arakanese-people-aa-chief-says. html 11 UNOCHA. Asia and the Pacific: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (24 - 30 March 2020). 31 March 2020. Reliefweb. Available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/asia-and-pacific-weekly-regional-humanitarian-snapshot-24-30-march-2020 12 UN OHCHR. “Myanmar: “Possible war crimes and crimes against humanity ongoing in Rakhine and Chin States” – UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee.” 29 April 2020. Available at:https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/ DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25838&LangID=E 13 Thet Naing & Rikkar Hussein. “More Violence Feared As Myanmar Names Arakan Army Terrorist Organization.” 24 March 2020. VOA News. Available at: https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/more-violence-feared-myanmar-names-arakan-army-terrorist-organization