A Christian preacher U Aung Law was abducted in the second week of January from the western Burma border by the Indo-Myanmar-Bangladesh based Arakan (Rakhai) armed group demanding a ransom of Kyat 40 lakhs.

U Aung Law is a member of the Anglican Church and was serving Duchuangwa village in Paletwa township, Chin state.

“Captain Mint Soe and his six rebels belonging to the armed group took away U Aung Law and demanded a ransom of Kyat 40 lakhs from the villagers,” said a local.

It is learnt that the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) is active in the area and the party extorts money from the villagers. The group is fighting for freedom of Arakan state.

“The Burmese Army and the ALP are on either side, so people live in fear. It is unfortunate that the church leader was kidnapped,” said a school teacher.

Although Khonumthung News tried to get more information about this, details were not available till date.

The people in western Chin state and northern Arakan (Rakhai) face detention, rape and killing by unknown armed groups. Besides, people are suffering the effects of famine due to bamboo flowering.