Kaladan News

Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2005

                                                                                                                                                         


NLD Members Arrested in Arakan State

 

Mrauk- U, June 21: U Kyaw Hla and six others National League for Democracy (NLD) members of Mrauk-U Township, Arakan State were arrested by army on 26th  May  2005.

 

U Kyaw Hla, 30, son of U Maung Tun (Rakhine) is incumbent Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairman of Yan Thi (Zullah Para) of Mrauk- U Township. He is an active member of NLD, a land lord, a rich man and also a social worker of Mrauk- U Township. SPDC authorities do not satisfy with him because of his popularity as a NLD active member, said a relative of him on condition of anonymity.

 

On fateful day, on 26th May 2005, a section of police and Military Intelligence (MI) went to their village at mid-night and arrested the said U Kyaw Hla and six others NLD members (Rakhines) by implicating them in bomb explosion in Rangoon on 7th May 2005. The six also hailed from Mrauk-U Township, said another relative of the arrestees who declined to mention his name.

 

After arrest, the victims were brought to their army camp and their whereabouts are still unknown and the family members are not allowed to see them.

 

Local people are saying that after May 7 blasts in Rangoon lead to escalation of human rights abuses across the country.

 

The said arrested members were actively working for NLD while Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visited Arakan State in May 2003 as a NLD organizing tour.

 

In Arakan State, the human rights violations are increasing day by day and also the prices of essentials are sky-rocketing, said a trader of Mrauk-U.

 

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