Sittwe residents live in fear as regime steps up arbitrary arrests

By Admin 22 Jun 2024

DMG Newsroom
22 June 2024, Sittwe

Residents in the Arakan State capital Sittwe say they are gripped by fear as Myanmar’s military regime has stepped up arbitrary arrests and killings.

There have been a flurry of arbitrary detentions as junta soldiers knock on doors in urban Sittwe purportedly to check for unregistered guests.

Junta soldiers raided Mingan Ward on June 16, detaining over 200 civilians including children, women and elderly people. Villagers who were forcibly moved to Sittwe Town from such villages as Yaychan Pyin, Aung Taing and Palin Pyin were also arrested.

Some 50 detainees were released two days later, but others remained in custody, according to residents.

“Now, we don’t feel safe living in our houses. We fear more at night. They may still arrest us even if we have citizenship ID cards and household registration certificates. We live in constant fear that they might come and knock on our doors,” said a woman from Sittwe.

The regime arrested 40 displaced residents from Theintan and Nayi Kan villages in rural Sittwe Township on Thursday. On June 11, a junta Navy vessel opened fire on 11 residents from Amyint Kyun Village who were fleeing fighting. Two villagers were killed in the shooting.

The regime has beefed security in Sittwe Town amid military defeats elsewhere in Arakan State, while targeting civilians in retaliation for those losses. Junta soldiers massacred nearly 80 villagers in Sittwe Township’s Byaing Phyu Village on May 29.

The regime forced residents from 11 villages in rural Sittwe to move to Sittwe Town earlier this month. It did not provide accommodation or food for them.

Human rights activists have accused the regime of attempting to use civilians as human shields in potentially impending hostilities between the Myanmar military and Arakkha Army (AA).

“The regime is blatantly violating the Geneva Convention by arresting and killing people,” said human rights activist U Myat Tun from Arakan State.

While many residents have fled Sittwe, others remain in the town; some because they cannot afford the transportation costs required to make an escape, and some because they dare not risk their lives as the regime has planted landmines and fires shots on sight along the escape routes.

Residents who remain in the town are suffering from food shortages as the regime has isolated Sittwe.

One Sittwe woman said: “Even if you have money, you can’t buy food. Things are getting difficult.”

Military tensions are running high in the Arakan State capital, where the regional operations command is based.