MYANMAR TIMES
01 May 2019
A human rights group in Chin State has called on the Arakan Army (AA) to release 54 ethnic Khumi people it seized more than three months ago.
The Khumi Affairs Coordination Council said the civilians were arrested by AA fighters at Kangtlang village in Paletwa township in Chin on February 2 and taken to the armed ethnic group’s base in Bangladesh in February.
It said the captives were forced to work at the camp and were not properly fed. It added that the families of the civilians were afraid for their health.
U Saw Mya, coordinator of the council, said that relatives of the civilians who were abducted have not heard from them.
“We urge the AA to release them as soon as possible,” he said.
He added that the council has asked the Chin government and MPs to help secure the release of the captives, but they have not yet received a response.
Paung Lwin Min Htan, head of the Chin Social Welfare Department, said the state government is trying its best to secure the villagers’ freedom.
“We are having some problems, and we need a third party to negotiate,” he said.
He added that the Border Affairs Department plans to seek negotiations to secure the captives’ release.
The council said the villagers were seized on February 2 during clashes between the AA and Tatmadaw (military).
Last week, two of the captives were able to escape and share information about the sufferings of those they left behind.
However, an AA official denied on Sunday that the group had detained any civilians.
The Khumi Affairs Coordination Council said the civilians were arrested by AA fighters at Kangtlang village in Paletwa township in Chin on February 2 and taken to the armed ethnic group’s base in Bangladesh in February.
It said the captives were forced to work at the camp and were not properly fed. It added that the families of the civilians were afraid for their health.
U Saw Mya, coordinator of the council, said that relatives of the civilians who were abducted have not heard from them.
“We urge the AA to release them as soon as possible,” he said.
He added that the council has asked the Chin government and MPs to help secure the release of the captives, but they have not yet received a response.
Paung Lwin Min Htan, head of the Chin Social Welfare Department, said the state government is trying its best to secure the villagers’ freedom.
“We are having some problems, and we need a third party to negotiate,” he said.
He added that the Border Affairs Department plans to seek negotiations to secure the captives’ release.
The council said the villagers were seized on February 2 during clashes between the AA and Tatmadaw (military).
Last week, two of the captives were able to escape and share information about the sufferings of those they left behind.
However, an AA official denied on Sunday that the group had detained any civilians.
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