The Myanmar military council has been using three coastal ships, donated by Japan to facilitate the travel of Arakanese (Rakhine) people for safety purposes.
After the State military council stopped the service for the Arakanese people stating that it cannot afford the cost of fuel, those ships named Kissapanadi number 1, 2 and 3 are now being used to transport soldiers.
A local resident informed that the soldiers were fully armed and ready to leave Shwe Min Gan Pier for Maungdaw.
"The army authority has been preparing since yesterday. Now three ships have left in the morning hours. Nearly 500 soldiers along with weapons and food items left for Maungdaw," he added.
The ships have already arrived at Maungdaw Kanying Chaung port.
These Kissapanadi ships were donated by the people of Japan after Aung Takkhon (3) mishap of sinking took place on 13 March 2015, where over hundreds of passengers died.
Those ships reached Arakan State from 2017 to 2019.
A Sittwe resident alleges that the ships were donated by a foreign country for the benefit of Arakanese people, but those are now being used for different purposes.
"It is not acceptable to both Rakhine people and the international community. We oppose the use of civilian ships for military purposes,” he added.
Initially those ships used to ply between Sittwe and two towns namely Maebon and Kyaukphyu. Later the service was stopped by the authorities.
