The ongoing active armed conflict between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) has deteriorated in terms of frequency, number of casualties, and victimization of innocent civilians. This is unprecedented in the history of Myanmar’s ethnic armed conflicts since 1948. Chin and Rakhine/Arakan States are two of the least developed states in Myanmar, but are usually regarded as the regions with the least active armed conflict between the central government and the ethnic armed groups. That image has changed with this constant escalation of intense fighting between the military and the AA, as Rakhine State now becomes the central focus of the battlefield for the Myanmar military. Unless both parties become serious about reaching an agreement to sign a bilateral ceasefire, the fighting will continue unabated. As one of the central committee members of the AA stated: “As long as we are denied our rightful...