The military council reportedly arrested Daw Nyo Aye, chairwoman of the Rakhine Women’s Network (RWN), at her home in Mingan Ward in Sittwe around noon on 15 August and charged her under Section 505(b) for allegedly disturbing the public tranquility.
A family member said she was taken to the junta police station for questioning regarding the 56th Sittwe Rice Killing Day commemoration organized by the Rakhine Students’ Union on 13 August.
“The police came to her office this afternoon and took her away saying that they wanted to ask her some questions about Sittwe Rice Killing Day. As soon as she reached Sittwe Township Police Station, she was charged. Her case was immediately put up to the court while she was remanded for a week. The hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday,” the family member said.
In 1967, under the regime of General Ne Win, there was a severe rice shortage in Arakan State. When local people protested and demanded a solution to the famine, the military opened fire, killing scores of people. To commemorate the tragic massacre, the Rakhine Students’ Union organized an event on 13 August, which Daw Nyo Aye also attended.
Her arrest for attending the Rice Killing Day commemoration in Sittwe has been criticized by human rights activists as a blatant violation of human rights by the Myanmar’s military council.
“Arresting and prosecuting someone for advocating their national cause is an unjust violation of human rights by the military regime. This violates Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said U Myat Tun, director of the Arakan Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Association.
Leading members of the Rakhaing Women’s League for Humanity (RWLH) have called for a lighter sentence for Daw Nyo Aye because she is an active advocate for women’s rights in Arakan State who also works for charitable causes.
Daw Saw Pu Sein, chairperson of the Rakhaing Women’s League for Humanity (RWLH), said, “We heard that she was arrested for participating in the Sittwe Rice Killing Day commemoration. That is the reason they (the military council) gave. She has done so much for women’s rights. We are concerned because she is elderly and in poor health. We also demand that her sentence be reduced”
Her family members said that Daw Nyo Aye has now been taken to Sittwe prison.
Sent by DMG.
