AA's online narrative wages a battle over Sittwe as state government builds a grand city gateway
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Phyo/Htike San (NP News)
While the AA is fighting Sittwe online, the state government is building amagnificent gateway of the city on the ground, according to a senior Rakhine State government official interviewed by The Statesman Journal.
While there are rumor posts on the internet that seem to be worried about the AA attacking Sittwe, on the ground, a more imposing gate is being built in place of the old city gate that was damaged by Cyclone Mocha.
The design of the arch was implemented after the Rakhine State government, Minister of Transport U Aung Kyaw Moe, and Rakhine State Advocate General U Hla Thein invited cultural groups, researchers, and knowledgeable people to discuss the design in August, 2025.
“The previous gate was built at a very low cost. This new one will cost over 600 million kyat. It will be completed by the end of February,” he said.
The official said the new arch was built before the change of government after the election and will be 21 feet high and feature a modern design.
“Now, the new one is modernized. Sittwe is not an ancient city, that’s the main reason. We built a gate in the Mrauk-U during our current government. We added the atmosphere of Rakhine culture there because it’s the Mrauk-U area. Sittwe is a coastal urban city. If we talk it in term of tourism, Sittwe is not an ancient city. It’s not a cultural city. That’s why we come through Mrauk-U and then come to Sittwe. We built a gate in the Mrauk-U that is full of Rakhine culture. That’s the idea,” he said.
The gateway is currently under construction at the site under the leadership of a committee headed by the Rakhine State Government’s Minister for Natural Resources. Once completed, it will provide the people of Sittwe with a city entrance befitting the dignity of a state capital, as well as add another attractive location for photography.
The design of the city entrance gate will feature the Rakhine State emblem in the center of the top of the gate, and will also include wide walkways on both sides, making it much more impressive than the previous gate. –