The Myanmar military arrested an elderly man from Theintan village in Arakan State’s Sittwe Township on suspicion of having ties to the Arakan Army (AA) at a village checkpoint on Monday evening, according to family members.
The detainee has been identified as U Maung Hsan Win, 52. The man was arrested by junta soldiers for questioning at the village checkpoint as he was returning home from neighbouring Tawkan village, a family member told DMG.
“He earns a living as a motorbike taxi driver. Junta soldiers arrested him at the village’s checkpoint at around 4 p.m. on August 22, accusing him of having links with the Arakan Army. He has no ties to the Arakan Army,” the family member added.
Family members also said that it is not yet known where the junta soldiers took U Maung Hsan Win following his arrest.
The military has set up a security checkpoint at the entrance to the village since one month ago and junta soldiers have been conducting interrogations of villagers and visitors. Some villagers have gone into hiding for fear of being arrested on suspicion following the military’s detention of U Maung Hsan Win.
“He [U Maung Hsan Win] makes a living as a motorbike taxi driver. If the liquor shops asked him to deliver alcohol to other villages, he would do so. He never quarrelled with other people in the village. He is a good man,” said U Kyaw Myint, the administrator of Theintan village. DMG phoned Arakan State Minister for Security and Border Affairs Colonel Kyaw Thura seeking comment on the military’s detention of U Maung Hsan Win, but he could not be reached.
“Arresting civilians without valid evidence is arbitrary arrest and detention. In terms of human rights, arbitrary arrest and detention violates Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said U Myat Tun, director of the Arakan Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Association.
The military arrested U Kyaw Maung, 44, and U Win Htay, 44, from Theintan village in October 2020, accusing the pair of transporting funds and food to the Arakan Army. Military tensions are escalating day after day and the theatre of war is expanding in Arakan State, the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) said in a statement on August 23.
