Khaing Thu Kha

Khaing Thu Kha
ULA Spokesman Khaing Thu Kha
Native name
ခိုင်သုခ
Born (1970-05-13) May 13, 1970
Ann District, Rakhine State, Myanmar
AllegianceArakan Army
BranchArakan Army
Years of service2014–present
RankPublic Relations Officer
CommandsIn charge of Arakan Army News Information
Battles / wars
Websitehttps://www.arakanarmy.net/

Khaing Thu Kha (Burmese: ခိုင်သုခ; pronounced: [kʰaɪŋ θu kʰa], also spelled as Khine Thu Kha; born 1970) is a Arakanese politician who is currently serving as a spokesperson and the news officer of the Arakan Army (AA), a group in Myanmar that works for more autonomy and self-determination for the Rakhine people.[1] He communicates the group’s goals and activities to the public.[2][3]

Early life

Khaing Thu Kha was born on 13 May 1970 in Rakhine State, Myanmar. In 1991, he joined the Arakan Army (Provisional), which started in Karen State.[4] During attempts to enter Rakhine State from Bangladesh, he was arrested twice by Bangladeshi authorities.[5] He was jailed for a short time in 1991 and later sentenced to five years in prison in 1992.[6][7]

Role in armed groups

After his release, he joined the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), another Rakhine group.[8] In 2012, the ALP signed a ceasefire with the Myanmar government. Later, disagreements within the ALP led Khaing Thu Kha to leave.[9]

In 2014, he helped found the modern Arakan Army with General Tun Myat Naing.[10] The Arakan Army became an important organization in Myanmar. Khaing Thu Kha has been the group’s spokesperson, sharing its views and updates with the public.[11]

Influence

Khaing Thu Kha is seen as a key figure in the Rakhine nationalist movement, promoting the rights and autonomy of the Rakhine people.[12][13][14]

References

  1. Hein Htoo Zan (25 November 2023). "Myanmar's Junta And Its Military Face Annihilation, Arakan Army Says". The Irrawaddy.
  2. "4 AA fighters killed, 1 injured in RSO's border ambush". Narinjara News. 3 September 2024.
  3. Aye Myat Khaing (16 November 2024). "Over 90% of land in four townships with ongoing conflicts under AA control: Spokesperson". Narinjara News.
  4. RFA Burmese. "Arakan Army says it will investigate and try captured junta soldiers". Radio Free Asia.
  5. "Arakan Army vows to fight for total control of Myanmar's Rakhine state". Radio Free Asia. 4 March 2024.
  6. "Arakan Army Resistance Force Claims Control of Strategic Township in Myanmar". Voice of America. 15 January 2024.
  7. "Union Health Minister unveils new medical buildings in Bago". Global New Light of Myanmar. 2 June 2024.
  8. "ULA/AA: Our Policy is Self-Determination and Confederation". Burma News International. 10 June 2024.
  9. "ရခိုင်ပြည် လွတ်မြောက်ရေးပါတီနဲ့ အစိုးရ ငြိမ်းချမ်းရေး သဘောတူ (Rakhine State Liberation Party and government agree on peace)". BBC News (in Burmese). Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  10. Khaing Lu Hla (Roma Mray) (9 January 2025). "AA Spokesperson U Khaing Thukha States Cessation of Attack Depends on Junta's Reaction". Narinjara News.
  11. "AA Accuses Junta of Inciting Ethnic Conflict in Buthidaung". Burma News International. 18 April 2024.
  12. Hein Htoo Zan (6 March 2024). "AA Offers Save Haven to Rohingya Targeted for Conscription by Myanmar Junta". The Irrawaddy.
  13. ၂၀၁၉ ခုနှစ်နှင့် သူ၏ ဇာတ်လိုက်များ (2019 and his protagonists)
  14. "Myanmar Armed Group Presses Offensive in Rakhine State". The Defence Post. 14 November 2023.

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