KALAY- The arrests by Arakan Army (AA) already had escaped and an Indian citizen was dead. However, an Upper House MP was still detained, according to the AA’s announcement.
When five Indians, the upper house MP from the ruling National League for Democracy, two boat drivers, one translator and another one were travelling from Paletwa to Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State, AA abducted them at the Kalatan River, in the morning of November 3rd.
The AA’s announcement also said that they released the abductees in the early morning of November 4th. They heard that those abductees safely arrived back but they still detained Upper House MP from No.11 Constituency in Paletwa Township. They would be releasing special statement on why they detained the upper house MP.
AA knew that some arrests were Indians. So, they planned to release the Indian detainees as quickly as possible and released the Indian arrests after bringing to the safety place because they had worry about the unnecessary problem like Shwe Nadi passenger vessel, according to the AA’s announcement.
The announcement also reported that AA welcomed the real projects which would bring the benefits for the Rakhine State. They had no desire against the international investments in Rakhine State. They were ready to cooperate with the local and foreign organizations which wanted to do the investments in the Rakhine State.
Moreover, AA will be releasing 18 members of firefighters who weren’t concerned with the military.
“It is true that some of the abductees have been released. A total of 10 people were arrested yesterday. Upper House MP Whei Tin is still under detention for questioning. The remaining group members were released. They have arrived back in Kyauktaw, Rakhine State. When they were taken uphill yesterday, a 60-year-old Indian died from exhaustion. The group might have been released after such a death. Preparations were being made at over 6am to carry the dead body by speedboat from Kyauktaw to Sittway. They are now asking for plane tickets and assistance to head for Yangon. Of the 10 people, eight were released, one died and MP Whei Tin is still under arrest,” said Soe Htet, Chin State Minister of Municipal Affairs, Electricity and Industry.
"We want them (AA) to release the MP as quickly as possible. This can harm the travel of civilians. Their acts are more like terrorism rather than revolution. We cannot accept that at all. This time we have to do something in response by seeking coordination. A member of parliament is also among the arrestees. It's very bad," said coordinator Saw Mya from Khumi Affairs Coordination Council.
Khaing Thukha, AA spokesperson, told the BBC that we keep detaining Whei Tin as we still need to investigate him for security reasons. The upper house MP Whei Tin secretively formed the Khumi youths aiming to inform the AA’s news to the military. He also persuaded the Khumi youths into occurring the religious and ethnical conflicts between Khumi and Arakan.
AA launched the more arrests by the end of October and in early November. At present, members of firefighters and other civilians are being detained by AA.
