Sittwe, Arakan State :  A clash between policemen and labourers of No. 1 jetty in Sittwe (Akyab), the capital of Arakan State on July 11, resulted in the death of a policeman and injury to three labourers, according to a local villager.  

This incident occurred at the No.1 jetty in Sittwe, at about 10:30 am, when the policemen from No.1 police station were on security duty at the jetty. They demanded Kyat 150 per head per hour from the labourers who worked over time at the jetty after 9 pm. The labourers did not comply with the order and the police tried to take the money forcibly from them. An altercation began and finally led to fighting between the two groups.

The policemen have no business collecting tolls from labourers of No.1 jetty of Sittwe (Akyab). Policemen across the country under military rule are notorious and arbitrarily collect tax from people, said a trader in Sittwe.   

During the clash, a policeman U Than Lwin died on the spot, and three labourers were critically injured. They were taken to Sittwe General Hospital for treatment. They were identified as one Rakhine and two Rohigya Muslims.

After the clash, four labourers---two Rakhines and two Rohingya Muslims--- were arrested by police.