"The first raid was conducted at U Kway Balu's home, also known as U San Shwe Oo, on 28 March and is related to the referendum. Some local people near his home spoke out against the government supporters mobilizing people for the forthcoming referendum on the draft constitution," he said.
U Kway Balu is a well-known senior politician and his residence is located in Wra Gri Mrauk in Sittwe. During the raid, U Kway Baly was not home and the police force did not seize any anti-referendum documents from his house.
On 28 March, members of the Myanmar Women's Organization mobilized local people in the area to meet at Dhama hall at the Haintha monastery to support the referendum. Some local elders asked the pro-referendum organizers how they were supposed to support the referendum without knowledge of the draft constitution, and told the women that if they wanted their support, they should first give them the draft constitution.
The women organizers complained of the incident to the higher authorities and the police team subsequently raided U Kway Balu's house.
On 29 March, a monastery in Sittwe was also raided by a police team led by Inspector San Shwe Maung, but no arrests were made.
An eye witness said the police team raided a monastery in town known as "two lions" monastery, in Lamadaw Taung ward, in the early hours of the morning. The raid was reportedly conducted by a police team looking for a monk who led the September Saffron Revolution.
Authorities in Arakan State are now preparing to crack down on anti-referendum activists and many politicians and monks in Sittwe are now being closely watched by intelligence and the police.
