Hardships abound for families of Arakan State’s political detainees

By Admin 05 Sep 2023

DMG Newsroom
5 September 2023, Sittwe

Family members of political detainees in Arakan State say they have been struggling to make ends meet.

During periods of fighting between Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), the military regime prosecuted scores of people in Arakan State on political charges including Section 17 (1) and (2) of the Unlawful Associations Act, and Section 505(a) of the Penal Code, an incitement provision.

Many of the detainees are the breadwinners in their families, which are now suffering from financial hardships.

“Since my husband was arrested, I have been struggling to feed and afford schooling for my three children. I have been forced to sell my possessions to feed them. I am a teacher and my salary is not enough,” said Daw Khin Hla San, the wife of Ko Zaw Win from Kyauktaw, who faces incitement charges.

Three Kyauktaw residents including Ko Zaw Win were arrested in June of last year. The court has finished hearing arguments in the case, but has since postponed delivery of the verdict for more than five months.

Families are suffering as junta-controlled courts have postponed verdicts for various reasons while in some cases, prosecution witnesses have failed to show up for hearings, delaying trial outcomes.

“My son is being tried at Sittwe District Court, and it has cost us large sums of money to go to his court hearings,” said Daw Than Than Htay, the mother of Ko Myo Thwin from Ponnagyun Township.

Ko Myo Thwin and two others from Ponnagyun were arrested in June 2022, and charged with incitement and disrupting civil servants on duty.

Daw Hla Hla Myint, the wife of U Kyaw Win Hlaing from Mrauk-U, said: “We are struggling badly as my husband was arrested. We can’t afford to hire a lawyer. We want a speedy trial.”

U Kyaw Win Hlaing and two others were arrested in June last year and charged under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations and Section 505(a).

Hearings on the Section 17(1) charge still have not been held as prosecution witnesses have failed to show up. As for the 505(a) charge, closing arguments are set to be heard at the next hearing on September 13.

A former politician who asked for anonymity for fear of reprisal said: “The government [regime] should release the detainees for the sake of peace in Arakan State. They and their families have suffered enough.”

Sixty-one people prosecuted for their alleged ties to the Arakan Army were released in a junta amnesty in early August.

According to a DMG tally, 128 people are still on trial at courts across Arakan State for alleged violations of the Unlawful Associations Act and Section 505(a).