At least eight people in Arakan State — six from Thandwe District and one each from Mrauk-U and Kyaukphyu districts — have been arrested on suspicion of People’s Defence Force (PDF) affiliations and charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law.
The detainees have been identified as U Sein Chit, U Tin Sandar Win and Daw San Cho Thaik from Thandwe town; Ko Ye Naing Oo and Ma Nyein Ei Phyu from Ngapali; youth writer Min Di Par aka Aung Naing Myint from Mrauk-U Township; Daw Cherry Thet Chay, a senior assistant teacher from Taungup Township; and Ma Aye Myint Mrat Aung, a university student from Kyaukphyu Township.
Ma Aye Myint Mrat Aung, who was arrested on December 3, was charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law and is being interrogated at the Kyaukphyu police station, family members said.
“She was arrested by a combined squad consisting of a ward administrator, police, immigration employees and soldiers in a nighttime raid. She was forced to show her National Registration Card (NRC), [with authorities] accusing her of providing cash assistance to the anti-regime forces,” an aunt of Ma Aye Myint Mrat Aung told DMG.
Ko Sein Chit and Ko Ye Naing Oo were arrested last month on suspicion of having links to the anti-regime PDF. The two men were charged under Section 52(a) the Counter Terrorism Law by Captain Nay Zaw Htet from the Myanmar military’s Light Infantry Battalion No. 55 based in Ngapali.
Daw Theingi Maung, a lawyer involved in the case against U Sein Chit, said more prosecution witnesses are due to give testimony at the trial’s next hearing.
Police Captain Soe Tin filed a lawsuit against Min Di Par, a young writer who was arrested on October 15 on suspicion of financing the PDF under Section 50(j) the Counter-Terrorism Law at the Mrauk-U District Court.
All witnesses have been examined in the case, and lawyers for both sides are scheduled to give arguments on December 10.
“I want the case to be settled as soon as possible in accordance with the law,” said Ko Aung Myint, an older brother of Min Di Par.
Daw Cherry Thet Chay, a senior assistant teacher in Taungup Township, and Daw San Cho Thaik, Ma Tin Sandar Win and Ma Nyein Ei Phyu in Thandwe Township, who were arrested in November, have also been charged under the Counter-Terrorism Law, though details of their situations and whereabouts are not clear.
A 17-year-old matriculation student was arrested in Thandwe Township on charges of financing the PDF, but was released on November 19. The underage girl was released, but her aunt was instead arrested on suspicion of providing financial aid to the PDF.
