Arakan youths staged a protest in support of the immediate release of Dr Aye Maung and five other points during Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to Japan in front of Myanmar embassy in Tokyo, Japan on October 8.

The protest was organized by Arakan Youths Union-Japan and it was aimed at State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

During the protest, Arakan youths demanded that Dr Aye Maung, the leader of Rakhine public, should be immediately released; that writer Wai Hin Aung should be immediately released; that the further charge against eight youths from Mrauk-U should be terminated; that prohibition of the free travel of Rakhine people in Myanmar should be removed; the water pollution of Maday island in Kyaukphyu should be immediately cleaned; and that Rakhine political prisoners should be immediately released.

The Arakan youths staged the protest holding placards stating “Stop oppressing Rakhine people by the NLD government”, and “Stop instigation of problems”. They were also carrying the pictures of Dr Aye Maung and writer Wai Hin Aung. 

“We would like Aung San Suu Kyi and the whole world to know the oppressed Rakhine people at a time when Aung San Suu Kyi is in Japan. We demand that Dr Aye Maung whom we respect and writer Wai Hin Aung as well as eight youths from Mrauk-U should be released,” said Soe Naing, Chairman of Arakan Youths Union-Japan.

They staged the similar protest during September. State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi who has been in Japan on working visit attended the meeting with Japanese entrepreneurs on October 8. State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi met Yamaguchi Natsuo, Chief Representative of Komeito party and Yohei Sasakawa, the special representative of National Reconciliation to Myanmar separately at New Otani in Tokyo on October 8. 

Translated and Edited by Win Htut