U Oo Hla Saw
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U Hla Saw | |
|---|---|
| ဦးဦးလှစော | |
 | |
| Member of the Rakhine State Hluttaw for Mrauk-U Township | |
| In office 2014–2021 | |
| Constituency | Mrauk-U Township |
| Co-founder and General Secretary of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party | |
| In office 2010–2012 | |
| Member/Secretary of the Arakan League for Democracy | |
| In office 1990–2010 | |
| Founding member and Policy-Steering Committee of Arakan National Party | |
| In office 2014–2021 | |
| Member of United League of Arakan | |
| In office 2022–2025 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 27, 1953 Mrauk U, Arakan State, Burma |
| Died | May 5, 2025 (aged 71) |
| Party | Rakhine Nationalities Development Party Arakan League for Democracy |
| Alma mater | Yangon Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | Politician |
U Oo Hla Saw (Rakhine: ဦးဦးလှစော; born 27 May 1953 – died 5 May 2025), also known by his pen name Maung Khine Aung, was a Rakhine politician, poet, writer and – in later years – political member of Arakan Army (AA). Over a long career, he served as member of the lower house of Myanmar’s parliament, as a leader of various Rakhine‑ethnic political parties and finally as AA’s Political Director.[1][2][3][4][5]
U Hla Saw was born in Mrauk‑U, Rakhine State, to parents U Aung Hla Zan and Daw San Thar Phyu. He was reportedly their eldest son.[4] He completed his primary education at an elementary village Primary School in Sittwe.[5]
Early in his life, he became involved in student activism. By the mid‑1970s he was active in student unions and had associations with left‑wing political circles. Over time, his political orientation shifted toward representing ethnic‑Rakhine interests.[6][7] He passed the university entrance exam with honors in three subjects and was granted admission to the Yangon Institute of Technology, but was expelled for two years due to his involvement in political activities.[8]
U Hla Saw was sentenced to 9 years in prison in 1975 and 14 years in 1988 by a military court for political activity.[8][5][9]
Political career
In 1990, U Oo Hla Saw joined the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD). However, ALD was later banned (as part of broader suppression of ethnic‑based political activity) by the Myanmar military government. In 2010, he became a founding member of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP), serving as its general secretary.[10][7]
Following nationwide elections during the transition toward partial civilian governance, U Oo Hla Saw was elected to the national Parliament (Pyithu Hluttaw) representing the Mrauk‑U constituency in Rakhine State. As an MP, he represented Rakhine‑ethnic political interests in the central legislature and was increasingly well-known for his speeches in the parliament.[11] He was a key figure in the Rakhine National Conference held in Kyaukphyu, from 27 April to 1 May 2014.[7][12][13]
He additionally expressed interest for building positive relations with the Kachin people.[14] He raised concerns about the large Chinese oil terminal on Ma Day Island. Despite the development, the nearby Rakhine villages remain very poor with bad roads and low living standards.[15][16]
After the military coup in Myanmar on 1 February 2021 and the collapse of elected institutions, many ethnic‑Rakhine politicians reconsidered their strategies. Hla Saw, then joined the Arakan Army. From 2022 and onwards, he served as the Political Director of AA's Central Political Department.[17][18] He attended the junta-organised Union Day event which was held in Naypyidaw being representative to the ULA.[19][17]
In an interview with The Diplomat in June 2024, Oo Hla Saw, noted the Arakan Army's success is due to many factors with strong leadership is the key. He remarked that unlike earlier Rakhine political groups, the AA’s leadership stands out.[20]