Harsh sentence for writer spotlights small but growing group of persecuted Arakan activists in post-coup Myanmar

By DMG 04 Mar 2022

DMG Newsroom
4 March 2022, Mrauk-U

The young writer Ko Aung Naing Myint aka Ko Min Di Par, from Pan Maw village in Mrauk-U Township, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with labour by the Maruk-U District Court on February 25 for violating the Counter-Terrorism Law.

He was arrested on October 15 of last year for allegedly funding the People’s Defence Force (PDF), which the regime has designated as a terrorist group. Police Captain Soe Tin from the Mrauk-U Township police station then filed a complaint against him under Section 50(j) of the Counter-Terrorism Law.

A source close to the court told DMG that no financial transactions made to the PDF group were found on his mobile phone, but there were chats with alleged PDF members on Facebook Messenger.

“At first, he was charged for transferring and withdrawing mobile money using his phone,” said the source. “He was arrested along with two phones. There was no KBZ Pay [a mobile wallet app run by KBZ Bank] on his phone. But chats were reportedly found on Messenger. Ko Min Di Par denied having talked to the PDF.”

Family members of Ko Min Di Par are planning to appeal his conviction. His sister told DMG: “We are not happy that my brother was jailed while he did nothing wrong. We will appeal. We are very sad that he was jailed for a crime that he did not commit.”

Though anti-junta activism has been relatively muted in Arakan State since the coup, at least 10 locals have been detained on suspicion of having ties to the PDF, which is a collection of armed groups closely tied to the anti-junta National Unity Government (NUG).

Many of the detainees are youths, hailing from Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu, Thandwe, Taungup and Mrauk-U townships.

Local activist Ko Kyaw Min Khaing denounced those arrests.

“Some Arakanese youths were involved in the politics of Bamar State [the Myanmar mainland]. And they remain good friends with each other, and they might have helped each other even after a change [the coup] in Bamar State. But it is totally unacceptable that the regime detains and imprisons [these Arakanese] youths out of grudges,” said Ko Kyaw Min Khaing.

Family members insist that Ko Min Di Pa is a professional writer who has nothing to do with the PDF. His elder brother Ko Aung Myint said Ko Min Di Par is commissioned by a publishing house under a contract.

“Whatever the military says goes now in Myanmar’s politics. There is no more truth,” said Ko Aung Myint.

Ma Phyo Ei San, acting head of the All Arakan Youth Organizations Network, said arrests and intimidation of youths engaged in humanitarian works would negatively affect their contributions to society.

“There has never been rule of law and justice, there is only repression. I am concerned that this will bar youths from taking leadership roles,” said Ma Phyo Ei San.

Many Arakanese activists believe the arrests are politically motivated to weaken the Arakanese community’s efforts to spur regional development.

Most of the individuals detained by the regime for allegedly having ties to the PDF are prominent community activists playing an active part in the development and resource management of Arakan State, according to activist Ko Min Bar Chay.

“We can’t accept the way the regime is arresting and imprisoning Arakanese youths,” said Ko Min Bar Chay.