Junta forces shoot 1 fisherman, arrest 5 others in Sittwe

Saw Shin May, Narinjara News, 31 August 2024

The military junta forces have shot at one fisherman and arrested five others in Sittwe of  Arakan State.

The injured fisherman is identified as Ko Khin Maung Win (around 30 years old) hailing from the outskirts of Sittwe. Among those arrested Ko Kular Chey also hails from the same locality.

The residents reported that a group of  fishermen were returning from setting fishing-nets at Set Yoe Kya creek near their village at around 3 am on 31 August, when they were arrested by a patrolling team.

“Six fishermen were coming back after setting their nets when they encountered the junta soldiers. All six were arrested. One of them  ran away and the soldiers fired at him,” said a resident.

Ko Khin Maung Win managed to escape despite his gunshot injuries. The whereabouts of the arrested five individuals remain unknown.

As fighting near Sittwe escalates, the residents report that the junta soldiers imposed travel restrictions and continued making arrests.

The restriction on goods transportation caused price-rises of essential commodities. The local residents are experiencing food scarcity now and they are compelled to find alternate sources of income for their survival.

On 29 August at around 11 pm, two men from Kyein Khway Maw village in Pauktaw township were seriously injured while they went on fishing in Sittwe river as junta soldiers fired from a naval vessel from the sea.

Photograph:  Somewhere in Set Yoe Kya creek