Narinjara News, July 5, 2025

An Arakanese (Rakhine) young man has been missing for over two weeks after traveling to Yangon in search of employment, his sister told Narinjara News Saturday.

Ko Khine Kyaw Lin (25), son of U Ba San, from Kan Chaung Village, Ponnagyun Township, Rakhine State, is the missing youngster.

“On June 16, he departed to seek employment in factories in the township of Shwe Pyi Thar. He hasn't been reached ever since. He has been missing, and his family is quite concerned. I also heard that he was dispatched to Mandalay. It's not clear to me if he is forced to work as a porter or join the army. That’s what I heard when I inquired about him,” his sister stated.

Two years ago, Ko Khine Kyaw Lin relocated to Yangon from Arakan (Rakhine) state. Due to the challenges of his everyday life, he had been employed as a blacksmith in Tamwe Township, but he quit the job and relocated to Ale Ywa Village, Shwe Pyi Thar Township, where he was seeking a factory position. Since 5 p.m. on June 16, there has been no contact with him.

"A lot of young people from Arakan are unaccounted for in Yangon. Not only are Arakanese youths missing, but also Burmese youths in Yangon are. My brother has not yet been located, but we are still searching for him. No measures have been taken, even after I visited the police station,” she said.

She stated that the military council authorities should have told the families whether Ko Khine Kyaw Lin was going to join the military or was being taken away as a porter.

Also of great concern is Ko Khine Kyaw Lin's 22-year-old wife, whom he wed a few years ago and who hails from Kan Chaung Village.

In a similar vein, a 28-year-old woman from the Rahat Taung hamlet of Ponnagyun Township, Yangon, disappeared about three months ago while she was employed there. Since then, her family hasn't received any word about her, which makes them concerned.

Young Arakanese have been arrested and coerced into joining the junta army by the military council in Rangoon and other towns. A human rights campaigner claimed that the thousands of young Rakhine males were detained when traveling to Burma proper from Arakan in search of employment prospects or even while returning to their native Rakhine from Burma.

In a similar manner, 50 Rakhine males from across the nation were detained and transported to Taunggyi (Bahtoo special cantonment area) in Shan state and forced to join the 8th batch of conscripts, he claimed.