YANGON, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar government has formed a Supportive Committee for Rakhine State's Peace and Stability to prevent instigations that could cause instability in the western state, the President's Office said on Friday.
The 14-member supportive committee was established on Thursday with Deputy Speaker of the House of Nationalities (Upper House) U Aye Tha Aung as chairman, and Information Minister Pe Myint and Rakhine State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu as two vice chairmen.
The supportive committee is tasked with conducting field studies on the state's peace and stability, meeting persons who deserve to consult, and making clarifications on the government's policies.
The committee is also expected to make suggestions on matters to be undertaken in long term and short term, make necessary coordinations between the state parliament and the local people.
On May 30, 2016, the government had formed a 20-cabinet-minister Central Committee for the Implementation of Peace and Development in Rakhine state with State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi as its chairperson.
Since the beginning of 2019, Rakhine state has come under attacks by an ethnic armed group, the Arakan Army (AA). On Jan. 4, the AA, a non-signatory to the government's Nationwide Cease fire Accord (NCA), launched coordinated attacks on four border police outposts in villages in Buthidaung, Rakhine state, killing 13 police officers and wounding nine others.
On March 9, the AA also attacked a village police outpost in Ponnagyun town, Rakhine, with small and heavy weapons, killing nine police officers and injuring two others.
