Over 500 people held a protest march in the Rakhine (Arakan) State’s Buthidaung at 2 pm on February 11 demanding national equality, find the truth on Mrauk-U incident, and release former Arakan National Party chairman Dr. Aye Maung and writer Wai Hin Aung.
This is the fifth protest held in the Rakhine State following the protests in Marnaung, Minbya, Kyauktaw, and Maungdaw.
Over 500 residents of Buthidaung held posters, signboards, and flags and marched from Mee Sat Gwa Sone along Min Htee Street, Min Bar Kyi Street, and Danyawaddy Street while shouting slogans.
The protestors called for the authorities to find out the truth about Mrauk-U incident, stop arresting the youths involved in Mrauk-U incident, immediately release Dr. Aye Maung and writer Wai Hin Aung, release political prisoners, and grant national equality.
“The aim of today’s protest is to find out the truth on Mrauk-U incident, obtain national equality, and release political prisoners including Dr. Aye Maung and Sayar Wai Hin Aung,” Ko Maung Thar Phyu, one of the protest leaders, told Narinjara News.
According to him, the government announced that 20 police officers have been injured after being attacked by the public during Mrauk-U incident but it has not shown any injured police officer and nobody has seen them. As the public only saw the civilians being killed and injured, they believe the authorities are deceiving.
He called on the government to take action against the police officers who fired into the crowd.
In the case of Dr. Aye Maung and writer Wai Hin Aung and Mrauk-U incident, we want them to be handled fairly in line with the law without bias. The entire Rakhine people desire this,” Ko Maung Thar Phyu added.
Seven people died and 12 people were injured during Mrauk-U incident on January 16 and at least eight Mrauk-U residents have been arrested.
Dr. Aye Maung and writer Wai Hin Aung were arrested on three charges in relation to the literary talk held in Rathedaung on January 15.
