Many locals including arrested government employees gone missing in Maungdaw

Naung Min Thu, Narinjara News, 14 August 2024

 More than 20 local residents, including some government employees detained by the junta forces, had gone missing from Maungdaw town on the western border of Arakan State, said the affected families.

Among those arrested there are U Thein Kyaw Maung, an assistant at the land records department and two employees from Maungdaw hospital with U Ye Min, U Ye Min Oo, etc.

"Since they were detained, we have no contact with them. We heard they were kept at the 5th border guard police battalion (NaKhaKha-5)," said a close family member.

U Thein Kyaw Maung and three others were arrested from Har Bi village at around 10 am on 16 May while they were returning to Maungdaw after placing their family in Laung Don village and renting a boat from Pyar Thar village.

Similarly, U Ye Min and U Ye Min Oo, employees of Maungdaw hospital, were arrested by the junta forces on 15 May at 5  pm while they visited Maung Ni village.

Similarly, nine people from Bo Hmue village under Maungdaw (including U Maung Maung Chey, U Kyaw Khaing and Tun Naing Win) were arrested by the Muslim armed forces allied with the junta soldiers. Two of them were released and the others are still missing.

On 30 May, six local residents from Aung Myay Baw Di village (including U Daung Pyauk, Maung Maung Chey, Ah Yoe, Nay Myo Tun, U Myat Naing and a Hindu individual)  were arrested along with three weapons which they received from Meitei (Kathe) people.

The Hindu individual is released but the other five persons remain in their custody.

Five local youths from Myoma north ward in Maungdaw (including Win Chey, Kyaw Naing Oo/ Kun Thee, Naing Naing Zaw, La Bu Chey and Zee Kwet Chey) were arrested by the junta forces and they were yet to be released.

"We heard that one of them died due to illness. Four other civilians who were arrested from number 2 basic education high school were released by the border guard personnel," said a family member.

On 22 July, U Kyaw Sein Aung was abducted by the Muslim armed forces allied with the junta while returning to Bo Hmue village. U Maung Aye was picked up from his residence in ward number 1 of  Sheik Thar village on 27 July.

Some Muslims hailing from Maungdaw were also arrested by the soldiers, but no details are available with Narinara News at this moment.

Local residents claimed that nearly 100 Arakanese along with Muslims and Hindus were detained by the junta forces at NaKhaKha-5 and they may be used as human shields in need.