The statement pointed out that voice and SMS services have not been affected by the shutdown.īut rights groups have criticised the shutdown as threat to civilians who are trapped in the conflict zone, which has long been closed-off to journalists and foreign humanitarian organisations. Telenor said in a statement on Friday that it “has been asking for further clarification on the rationale for the shutdown and emphasised that freedom of expression through access to telecoms services should be maintained for humanitarian purposes, especially during times of conflict.” Only one of the four telecommunications operators has publicly acknowledged the internet blackout. Soe Thein, ministry’s permanent secretary, told local media on Monday that “internet service will resume when the peace and stability are restored to the region”. The ministry’s directive allows it to suspend telecommunications services “when an emergency situation arises”. The AA are a more formidable force than the fighters claiming to represent the Rohingya and have inflicted historically higher death tolls on the military. The area also saw the systematic expulsion of 730,000 Rohingya Muslims starting in 2017, which UN investigators say the military perpetrated with genocidal intent. The clashes have displaced 30,000 civilians in the last six months, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The military has been clashing throughout the year in the region with Arakan Army (AA) insurgents, who want political autonomy for Rakhine Buddhists.
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