Hostel owners have been cautioned about political activities of students by the police chief of Arakan State. He summoned hostel owners in Sittwe to his office on Thursday and warned them about political activities of students in the area. Many hostel owners attended the meeting, said an owner on condition of anonymity for fear of arrest.

"When we all arrived at the police chief's office at 9 am on, the meeting was underway. The police chief delivered a speech about why he had called the hostel owners. He explained to us the present situation in Sittwe and about the activities of the students of Sittwe University," he said.

The police chief ordered the hostel owners to follow his instructions or face punishment.

"He warned us not to allow any students to stay in our hostel if the students are involved in politics. He also told us to inform the police whenever we see students getting involved in politics and he finally warned us that if any student is found to be involved in politics the hostel owners would be punished," he said.

Such a warning has never been given to hostel owners in Sittwe before, and hostel owners are anxious and surprised by the police chief's statements.

In Sittwe University there are no state-owned hostels for students who are from outside town, so many students from rural areas stay at private hostels owned by local residents during their period of study in Sittwe.

According to local residents, there are over 200 hostels in Sittwe and over 3,000 students in Sittwe come to study from out of town.

"I think the warning of the police chief came soon after students held a ceremony to honour the Venerable Ottama day by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the image of Ottama at the Sittwe University campus. So the warning is related to the Ottama day observed by students," he said.

Students of Sittwe University celebrated Ashin Ottama day by wearing T-shirts on the campus on September 9, in spite of the government's nationwide ban on honouring Ottama day. Security forces responded by occupying the university campus.

The police forces also searched for some student leaders and documents related to the Ottama Memorial Day from many students' hostels in Sittwe during the night of September 10, saying they were checking the visitor's lists at the hostels.