Sittwe, Arakan State: Some arms and explosives have been seized by authorities in Sittwe (Akyab), the capital of Arakan State, in the first week of October, said a source close to the authorities.

A group was coming to Sittwe from Rangoon through Taung Guupe pass in a white micro. When the car reached Taung Guupe check point, the authorities checked the car and found some explosives, but, the officials pretended not to be find anything in the car. However, intelligence personnel followed the car until it reached Sittwe.

When the car entered a Buddhist monastery of expansion (Toochey Wra) village near Sittwe airport, the officials seized the car and detained the passengers. After that, intelligence personnel accompanied by other concerned authorities searched the car and found 41 arms and seven hand grenades, an aide close to intelligence department said.   

After a few moments, another car entered at the same venue. The second car was also seized with the passengers by the authorities. But, it is not confirmed, how many people were arrested.

However, it is learnt that over 100 people were arrested from Rangoon and Sittwe regarding the incident.

When the authorities asked the arrestees why they carried arms and explosives from Rangoon to Sittwe, they said, “We carried these to kill the Bengali Kular (Rohingya people) as they are very active against the Rakhine community.”
When asked Salim Ullah, the CEC member of Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) he said, “It is an obsequious word to the authorities to make them happy, but in reality, they carried it for other purposes.”

Hearing this from the arrestees, the authorities smiled and took all of them to their camp for more interrogation. Security is being tightened in Sittwe (Akyab) since seizing the arms and explosives in the Buddhist monastery, said a trader from Akyab on condition of anonymity.