5 Rakhine women arrested in Yangon, 1 released, others remain traceless
"At 12am on 16 February, the dormitory was raided by the soldiers who arrived by fivecars. They entered there to check the overnight guest-list and later arrestedfive girls from Rakhine State. One of them (who is 4 feet 7 inches tall) wasrejected for not meeting the height requirement. She was released after payingKyats 200,000. The remaining four girls, who were 5 feet 2 to 3 inches tall,were taken away. The whereabouts of these four girls are currentlyunknown," said the relative.
The young woman, who was released,contacted her family members by telephone and thus paid the amount demanded bythe junta forces. Later she was released at 7 pm on Saturday.
Stilltraceless, the four young women include one from Kyauktaw, two from KaThein in Minbya and one from Laung Chaung village under Rathedaung.
"I don’t know where the othergirls were taken away. Their phones were confiscated and no one can contactthem," added the relative.
On 16February, a number of individuals were arrested from Shwe Pyi Thartownship with the majority of being Rakhine women, who worked in factories.
"The released girl informedthat a number of individuals were arrested and loaded in prisoner-vehicles.Many others were arrested from different dormitories. At least five prisoner-vehicles were full. Among the detainees, Rakhine women were in more numbers,”he stated.
The arrestsoccurred following the pronouncement of People's Military Service Law on 10February.
The familymembers apprehend that they might be engaged in military services.
Currently the junta has beentargeting the Rakhine people from monasteries and hence conducting night raids.
The Rakhineyouth, currently staying in Yangon, are worried by the new military servicelaw. But returning from Yangon remains difficult as both the land andwater routes are closed by the soldiers. Furthermore, returning by air servicescontinues to be difficult as a large number of people are returning to theRakhine region every day.
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