According to reports, the junta navy apprehended seven fishermen from the Pauktaw Township in Arakan State while they were fishing close to Sittwe. The detainees are from Kon Tan and Chaung Wa villages.
Following their transfer to the police by the navy, they are now being detained at the No. 1 Police Station in Sittwe.
The junta navy stationed in the Sittwe Sea opened fire on three boats carrying residents of Pauktaw who were fishing on September 16. Navy soldiers then transported the fishermen on speedboats, a Sittwe resident said.
"They were apprehended by the navy soldiers in the evening. For some time, the navy has been patrolling the sea between Sittwe and Pauktaw offshore. They have been detaining fishermen daily.
The fishermen are arrested if they are near the navy. Even if they are far away, they are still detained. The navy keeps a close eye on them with binoculars,” he said.
Narinjara learned from a local fisherman that the local fishermen are taking chances with their lives in order to fish, even in dangerous situations, because they are having difficulty catching fish.
"In Sittwe, the junta government allows Muslims to fish in the sea, while Arakanese residents are prohibited from doing so. They are arrested if they attempt to fish. The Rakhine people are being targeted. There are no other employment options. They will die if they don't fish. They may turn to crime if they starve.”
Before going fishing, local folks were advised to remain up to date on the news by a source close to ULA/AA. "People are being arrested on a variety of charges. Before setting out, locals need to exercise caution and keep up with the news," he stated.
The military navy apprehended three local fishing vessels on September 9 while they were fishing in the Sittwe-Pauktaw and Phayonka Island-Kyaukphyu regions, where the navy is active.
The majority of the population of the three islands—Myay Ngu Island, Phadu Island, and Inkyin Chai Island—in Pauktaw Township depends on fishing for a living.
The local fishermen reported that they are regularly detained by the military navy between Pauktaw Township and Kyaukphyu Township, which makes it difficult for them to earn a livelihood.
Rakhine fishermen have been subject to stringent restrictions on fishing at sea since November 13, 2023, when the AA launched its battle to seize the town, and have experienced several shootings and arrests.
When a military ship fired artillery shells near the Sittwe shore at around 3 p.m. on the 17th of this month, a local woman from Pauktaw was injured.
The injured woman, Ma Hla Than Nu, 25, of Min Te Village, Pauktaw Township, was gathering clams on the beach when one of the shells landed on a rock near the riverbank and exploded.
