Student group counts at least 25 young activists jailed for protesting internet shutdown, war in Arakan State

By DMG 22 Sep 2021

DMG Newsroom
22 September 2021, Sittwe

The All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) says at least 25 students have been for street protests prompted by a prolonged internet shutdown in Arakan State and deadly fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army.

Among those arrested and jailed were 21 students from the ABFSU and four students from the Arakan Students’ Union.

During two years of fighting in Arakan State between the military and Arakan Army, many civilians, including children, were killed, while the government cut off internet access in several Arakan State townships for months.

Numerous students who protested against the conflict and internet blackout were detained and imprisoned under Penal Code provisions and other criminal statutes.

Ko Aung Pyae Sone Phyo, vice chairman of the ABFSU, said he was saddened that the previous ruling government could not help the students at the time of their arrests.

“It is unfortunate that the government did not help the students who pointed out that the military dictatorship was bad. But we will not feel it too much. It is our policy to continue to oppose the military dictatorship,” he said.

Seventeen students from the ABFSU have since been released but Ko Nay Ye Soe, Ko Phone Myint Kyaw, Ko Soe Hla Naing and Ko Kyaw Thiha Ye Kyaw are still imprisoned.

Ko Soe Hla Naing and Ko Kyaw Thiha Ye Kyaw were sentenced to seven years and two months in prison under Sections 505(a) and 505(b) of the Penal Code.

Ko Kyaw Naing Htay, Ko Oo Than Naing, Ko Mrat Soe Win and Ko Kaung Tun from the Arakan Students’ Union, meanwhile, were sentenced to two years and two months in prison under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code and Section 29 of the Natural Disaster Management Law.

Ko Kyaw Nyein Tun, a liaison officer with the Arakan Students’ Union, said the arrests and long prison terms were intended to suppress the entire student body.

“Arresting students is simple. This is because they are afraid of people who dare to take to the streets and tell their stories. They want to cover up what they do. We see it that way,” he said.

The government cut internet access in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Rathedaung, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Myebon, Mrauk-U, and Minbya townships in Arakan State, and Paletwa Township in Chin State, on June 21, 2019.

More than 600,000 people in Arakan State lost internet access due to the outage, which lasted more than a year in some of the townships.