ALP vice-chairman, two members assassinated in Sittwe

Three members of Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) splinter group (led bySaw Mya Razalin, who is a close associate with the militaryrulers) including its vice-chairman were assassinated on Saturday. Three other members were also injured in the incident.

The victims have been identified as vice-president of the  group Khain Ninang,  the battalion commander lieutenant colonel Khaing Kyaw Min and their driver Khaing Kyaw Naing, who died on the spot, said local witnesses. Their bodies were taken to  Sittwe general hospital, but now whereabouts of the bodies are not known.

Three of the injured members include Khaing Bo Min, Khaing Kyaw Min Soe and Khaing Kyaw Ye Aung.

The injured  ALP members  were sent to  Sittwe general hospital. Later the junta forces came to the hospital and took them away by a car at around 1.30 pm, a person close to the hospital informed Narinjara News.

"They were taken away by the army and may have been shifted to the army hospital," he added.

All of them sustained gunshot injuries in their  legs. But their injuries are reported to be minimal.

The three dead ALP members came in a black car at around  1 pm on 1 July from the residence of  Saw Mya Razalin in  Mingang ward. They were targeted by  a group of armed men who followed  on a motorcycle near Sittwe university.

Narinjara News contacted ALP chairperson Saw Mya Razalin to know more about the incident, but a woman responding to the phone call  stated she was busy with the shooting incident casualties.

The ALP also issued a statement on Sunday accusing the ULA/AA of the assassination. Khaing Thukha, who was speaking on behalf of the AA, denounced the allegation as baseless.

“The assassination is an internal  problem of the ALP and it’s not concerned with ULA/AA,” he asserted.

The ALP is currently facing some problems with the leaders. The party is now divided into two groups one led by chairman U Khaing Ye Khaing (who restored the party after the demise of their  chairman Khaing Moe Lin)  and the other faction is led by the former school teacher Saw Mya Razalin.

Saw Mya Razalin has close association with the current military council. She attended the meeting between the National Unity and Peacemaking Coordination Committee (NSPNC) of the military council and the Peace Process Steering Group, which signed the NCA in NayPyiTaw a
few days back.

Earlier, general Khaing Soe Mya, chief of the staff of ALP  and two other commanders  were assassinated on 4  January during the afternoon hours. They came to attend the Independence Day celebration organized by the military council at Vasali stadium in Sittwe. As they were returning in a private car they were targeted  by a group of armed men near the gas station in Satyonsu ward, where all of them died on the spot.