The military council has detained 36 locals in Arakan State since the resumption of fighting between the military council and Arakan Army (AA) from 13 to 18 November, according to news sources.
The detainees are: 13 from Sittwe, 11 from Taungup, four from Kyaukphyu and eight from Buthidaung. Among the detainees are business persons, ward/village administrators and students.
At night on 13 November, some residents of Sittwe were arrested by plainclothes military council soldiers at gunpoint, family members said.
At around 3 pm on 15 November, the military council arrested more than four locals from Mingan ward in Sittwe. They lost contact with their families, according to the family members.
The son of a detainee said: “I have lost contact with my father. It is not yet known where he was taken. Our family is worried. My father has no link to any organization. So I want him to be released as soon as possible.”
The military council arrested eight university of distance education students near Lawkananda pagoda in Sittwe and university student Maung Myat Htoo Naing and his father U Maung Than Win from Kandawgyi ward.
The military council arrested Maung Myat Htoo Naing for uploading a Facebook post about the detention of locals from Kandawgyi ward and Mingan ward, with five military vehicles, on the evening of 15 November.
At 9 pm on 13 November, the military council arrested Ko Aung Aung, Ko Kyaw Naing, Ko Tun Tun Naing, Ko Maung Chay, Ko Pauksa, U Sein Win Kyaing, U Ko Lay, Ko Aung Kyein, Ko Thant Zin Phyo, Ko Maung Maung Soe and Ko Aye Lwin from their houses in Taungup.
“They were arrested that day and have not been contacted until now. It is not yet known where they were taken. Some residents are also fleeing,” a local from Taungup said.
At around 9 pm on 14 November, the military council soldiers arrested U Tun Aye, U Maung Mya San (aka) Kalarchay, U Maung Mya Thein, U Swe Than Oo, U Har Mitular, U Naw Ar Laung, U Maung Hla Win (aka) Hu Saung Zu Lar and U Mar Mat Yaw Hein from Buthidaung.
On 13 November, the military council arrested U Than Hlaing, Ko Nagar, U Hla Kyi and Ko William.
Regarding this issue, the Development Media Group (DMG) contacted the Arakan State Administration Council’s Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Kyaw Thura, but he did not answer the phone.
The facebook named “Rakhaing Daily” owned by the Arakan State Administration Council wrote that “those linked to the AA are being identified and arrested in order to maintain stability and peace in Arakan State.”
Regarding the arrests of Arakan people, Arakan politician U Aung Thaung Shwe said: “During the previous battle, the military arrested locals for alleged links to the AA. The arbitrary arrests of local people became a procedure of the military council. This is not the act of a government. It is committing a war crime.”
According to the latest news, the military council has detained around 100 departmental staff and locals in Pauktaw Township.
According to the statement released by the Three Brotherhood Alliance formed of the AA, Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the military council arrested 46 Arakan people on 13 November the day on which fighting started, for alleged links to the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA). It is trying to arrest the remaining locals.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG).