Arakan State senior education official detained by junta forces

Aye Myat Khaing, Narinjara News, 29 May 2024

A deputy director in the Arakan State education department has been detained by the junta forces and not yet released.

On 24 May, the deputy director (finance) U Nyi Htwe  was detained by the junta's chief of military security affairs for interrogation.

An unidentified education employee informed Narinjara News that there had been no communications with U Nyi Htwe since his detention on 24 May.

"He was seemingly arrested for questioning on financial matters during the cyclone Mocha period. As of today, he has not been released," added the employee.

The arrest was made by the junta forces under the pretext of financial irregularities that took place more than a year back.

According to a police source, U Nyi Htwe was transferred to Sittwe number 1 police station on the night of 27 May after he was interrogated by OCMSA.

Following his arrest, other senior officials and general staff of the department fled to Yangon fearing their arrest.

On 28 May, the Humanitarian and Development Coordination Office (HDCO) announced that a total of 425 civilians, comprising 346 men and 79 women, were arrested in Arakan State during the six-month period (13 November 2023 to 13 May 2024). Among them, there are  39 Muslims and 386 Arakanese, added the HDCO.