More Armed Rakhine Gangs Arrested in Arakan

By NDPHR(exile),

A gang of Rakhines with six guns and explosives devices have been arrested by military forces in Khaungdok Rakhine village situated between two muslim villages of Falom and muslim-Khaungdok Kyauktaw town on 21 Aug. 

According to ERCA member Rofiq, the members of armed gang fought each others through opening fires in the morning around 10:30am. Soon, the military forces followed to the tract of where the sounds of gun fires coming out and captured 5 armed Rakhines. Mr Rofiq said that there were more than a dozen during the fights but the rest were escaped. The five captives were taken to the Battalion Camp-378.

It is also found that most of the armed Rakhine captives are the ex-members of the Arakan Liberation Party-ALP and members of RNDP.

The ALP's ambition to establish its head quarter in the deepest hilly areas of Paletwa town, Chin state, has been rejected by the Chin state administration. Therefore, its forces have been surreptitiously beefing up in hilly areas of Kyuaktaw town since the seized-fire agreement was signed with the government and the ALP members have been relocated in Maungdaw and Kyauktaw towns from April 2012.

During the most violent days in June and July, several Rakhines received arms and some also worn muslim religious dresses and then attacked Rohingya villages. Some were also shot dead during the clashes with military forces.
So far the following gangs have been arrested from June.

2) An armed gang of Rakhine with 14 automatic rifles, two pistols and huge of exclusives, have been arrested from Taung Bwe Rakhine village by military battalion-378 in Kyaukatw township on 9 Aug. As we received information, there were two more other armed gangs arrested from the same areas but they were unable to confirmed yet.

3) 9 Rakhines from Nagaya village who were arrested with arms at around 18:00pm of 16 June and for involving in an arson attack of Rohingya village of Apaukwa (Aafok), were released after the protest of about 500 Rakhines protested in a park of Kyauktaw town on 17 June.
4) 17 Rakhines wearing muslim religious dresses and leaving after attacking of Rohingya village- Khaungdok (Khondol), Kyaukataw town, were arrested by military on 17 June.

5) The military arrested 4 armed Rakhines from Bakagonena field  which is between three mile and Kawlizabanga village evening of 14 June. The armed four Rakhines confessed that there are other Rakhines with arms in Maungdaw.

6) Army arrested 12 armed Rakhines -ex members of Arakan Liberation Party (ALP)-  with 8 automatic Rifles and 8 long swords during the midnight of 13 June at Ngakura village of Maungdaw northern  while they were climbing towards the bank of Purma river near by Khine Pin (Rakhine ) village. They went there by a rowing boat from Chowdary (Mritna Yawa) para under Teknaf Upazila,  Bangladesh . After arrest, they were handed to the Burma border security force (Nasaka) Headquarters.