Twan Mrat Naing

Major General **Twan Mrat Naing**, also spelled **Tun Myat Naing** (Burmese: ထွန်းမြတ်နိုင်), is Arakanese general, politician, stateman and commander in chief of the Arakan Army, armed organization of Arakan State. Naing has led the Arakan Army since its founding in 2009, and maintains the rank of Major General. Naing is of Arakanese descent and resides in Laiza, Kachin State, where the Arakan Army's "temporary headquarters" are.

## Biography

Naing was born in Sittwe, the state capital of Rakhine State. He left for jade mining in Kachin State, recruiting disaffected Arakanese Buddhists to his insurgent group. He was one of twenty-six men to form the Arakan Army with a support from the Kachin Independence Army. In 2018, the clashes between Arakan Army and Burmese military intensified in Northern Rakhine State.

## Career

General Tun Myat Naing is the current commander of the Arakan Army. In 1998, he planned to join National Unity Party of Arakan but their general was killed in action. After returning to Rakhine where he studied at Technological University, Sittwe. In 2004, he collaborated with Nyo Twan Awng (also known as Zaw Myo Thet), a surgeon doctor who is now a Vice Commander in-Chief of Arakan Army. In 2009, they founded the Arakan Army.

Naing has also worked as a tourist guide in Yangon. That's why he is able to speak fluent English. He is an expert in militarism, philosophy, politics, geography, and history.

## Arrests by Myanmar government

On 10 July 2019, Aung Mrat Kyaw, Twan Mrat Naing's younger brother, along with five Arakanese were detained by the Singaporean government and deported to Myanmar, where they were arrested shortly after arriving. Singapore's home ministry said they had organized and mobilized some members of the Myanmar community in Singapore to support the Arakan Army, and its political wing, the United League of Arakan.

On 18 October 2019, the younger sister of Twan Mrat Naing, Moe Hnin Phyu and her husband, Kyaw Naing, were arrested at the Yangon International Airport after they returned from Chiang Mai, Thailand and are currently being questioned. They are accused of having the connection with the seizure of explosive devices in Mandalay according to Zaw Htay, Spokesperson of the State Counsellor's Office.

On 6 December 2019, Twan Mrat Naing's wife - Hnin Zar Phyu and her two children were detained by Thai immigration officials in Chiang Mai, when she went there to extend her visa. Thailand Immigration Bureau's Chiang Mai office arrested her due to the presence of her name on the list who has affiliation with the Arakan Army, provided by the Myanmar Government. On 25 February 2020, the detained family left for Switzerland under the political asylum initiated by the UNHCR.

On 9th June 2021, Aung Myat Kyaw, Moe Hnin Phyu and her husband were released from prison after all charges against them were dropped. The release happened after the Tatmadaw took power by a coup d'état.

## Personal life

Twan Mrat Naing is married to Nhun Zar Phru . The couple have two children, a daughter, Saw Prae Shun, and a son, Mrat Lun Zan. Twan Mrat Naing's father-in-law is San Kyaw Hla, the speaker of the Rakhine State Hluttaw and an Arakan National Party (ANP) politician.

## End Notes / External Links

* Twan Mrat Naing
* Kyaw Zaw Oo's Blog
* Last updated on 15th December 2021