Families unable to contact Sittwe villagers since June arrests

By Admin 31 Aug 2024

DMG Newsroom
31 August 2024, Sittwe

Family members have told DMG that they are worried about the fate of 11 residents from Aungtaing Village in Sittwe Township, Arakan State, who were arrested by the regime on June 7, as their whereabouts remain unknown.

Around 10 junta soldiers entered Aungtaing Village on the night of June 7 and detained the 11 local residents, and family members say they have not been in contact with the detainees since their arrest.

"They [the 11 detainees] were taken from their homes to discuss the relocation of the village. They haven't been seen or heard from since their arrest and their whereabouts remain unknown. They are not being held at the police station, and they have never appeared before the court," said a family member of one detainee.

"We want to know their whereabouts. We don't know where to search for them. We are worried about their safety," said another family member of a detained villager.

The detained villagers have no links with any organisations, and make a living as farmers and fishermen, locals said.

"Both my son and son-in-law were abducted by the regime. We rely on them for our livelihood. We are now facing livelihood hardships. Parents are concerned for the safety of the detained villagers," said a female family member.

On June 8, witnesses reported spotting more than 20 unidentified, blindfolded corpses in a creek near Aungtaing Village, located close to the junta's battalion headquarters 10 miles west of Sittwe.

Myanmar's military regime has forced thousands of residents from about 20 Arakanese villages in Sittwe Township to move to Sittwe Town, its seat of administration in Arakan State. It has accommodated many of them at Buddhist monasteries and other places for the time being.