Sittway. May 5, 2020.

Myanmar soldiers based in Thar Zay village, Ponnaygun township, stop ten passenger boats and interrogate 12 passengers at the river intersection at 10 AM today. 

“Most passengers who are arrested and searched are women. Ma U Tin May, a female contractor of World Bank development project via local government, is among the searched,” Lawmaker U Khin Maung Latt said. 

He said, “This is first time outnumber of passenger boats are stopped and then searching passengers in the intersection of Nyung Chaung Creek in Ponnaygun township. I was told a PC computer and 1,200,000 Kyat (equivalent 800 US dollar) were seized by the soldiers. How many passengers have been arrested and released at this moment I don’t know. But I was told Ma U Tin May gets contact with her family after her parents called the officers from LIB 550 in Ponnaygun.”

Thar Zay is located at the intersection of river and creeks from different directions. All boats have to pass the intersection before they reaching to town. The soldiers stop all the boats in the morning rush hour when they are going to the Ponnaygun to sell fish, vegetables, and rice. 

“I am monitoring development of the passenger boats searched,” The lawmaker said.

Myanmar army had publically warned U Khine Maung Latt on the TV for speaking up the death of 8 civilians and injury of 14 villagers in Kyauk Seik by the military shell explosion in the village last month.

Arakan National Party, ANP, issued the statement and urged the army to withdraw the threat.