Yangon - Myanmar's government has come under fire from rights
groups and lawmakers over its decision to cut mobile internet
services for more than one million people living in
conflict-afflicted areas.
The blackout began on June 21, after Myanmar's Ministry of Transport
and Communications ordered four telecommunications companies to stop
providing internet services to nine townships in Rakhine and Chin
states, where the military is fighting the Arakan Army, which seeks
political autonomy for Rakhine Buddhists.
An estimated 30,000 civilians have been displaced by the fighting
this year in roughly the same area from where 730,000 Rohingya
Muslims were displaced by military operations in 2017.
Ministry permanent secretary Soe Thein told local media on Monday
that the shutdown was in line with Myanmar's Telecommunications Law,
which allows for the suspension of services "when an emergency
situation arises."
He added that "internet service will resume when the peace and
stability are restored to the region."
Hla Saw, a lawmaker from the Arakan National Party, which represents
the interests of Rakhine Buddhists, said the shutdown is a blemish on
the record of the National League for Democracy government, led by
Aung San Suu Kyi.
"This is an abuse of the people's fundamental democratic rights.
Cities across the country can use the internet, but we cannot. Whom
does this benefit? It shows that the current democratic government is
weak in its ability to distinguish between right and wrong," he said.