Arakan Army (AA) detained sixteen drivers from Road Administration Department while they are travelling on Aung Takon (7) vessel from Sittwe to Buthidaung on December 31, said Aung Lin, Deputy Manager of Inland Water Transport for Rakhine State.
The AA stopped the vessel at a place between Sapho Island and Oakpho Village in Yathedaung Township and detained them.
The vessel can carry passengers and cargos and 89 passengers are onboard at that time, he said.
“They bought tickets at Sittwe to go to Buthidaung and there are 18 drivers from the Road Administration Department. The AA only detained 16 of them,” said the deputy manager.
According to a report from the RFA, they are being assigned to take duty as drivers in reception centers in Maungdaw Township but Aung Lin said he don’t know about it exactly.
Although the Daily Eleven contacted the AA, no reply is made.
The AA arrested three government staffs from Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, who were riding on a vessel en route from Buthidaung to Taungbazar on December 24 and they also detained MP Hway Tin of Paletwa Constituency.
Moreover the AA also detained military staffs, government staffs and civilians from Shwe Nadi vessel en route from Sittwe to Buthidaung near Yaymyat Village, Yathedaung Township on October 26.
