Thinzar Nwe, Narinjara News, 15 January 2025 

The junta's rising apprehensions of Arakanese individuals in Yangon, along with the compilation of lists of displaced persons in Sittwe, has heightened public unease. 

A male inhabitant of Sittwe informed Narinjara News that military personnel, law enforcement, and local administrators are visiting houses with household lists to verify the population in homes left by those who escaped the city. 

He remarked, "If there are five individuals in a home and two escape to Yangon, they inquire closely, 'Where did those two leave to? On which street and in which ward do they reside? How much time have they spent there?’" 

He also mentioned the rising worry that officials are inquiring about the locations of displaced individuals, including their current residences, even in areas like Yangon. 

A different male inhabitant of Sittwe told Narinjara News that it is particularly concerning that even Sittwe locals who escaped to Yangon out of fear of conflict are now being suspected. 

He stated, "Once the Western Command was seized, numerous individuals left Sittwe for Yangon prior to the end of December. Currently, the junta suspects individuals in Yangon of having connections to the Arakan Army (AA). They are attempting to put the blame on all Arakanese individuals. I think they are trying to create a sense of fear." 

Moreover, a woman who has been displaced in Yangon told Narinjara News that she is continually afraid, as certain wards are compiling comprehensive reports on the overnight guest lists of displaced individuals from Arakan State who have come to Yangon. 

She stated, "They are carefully gathering the overnight guest lists for every ward where numerous Arakanese individuals reside in Yangon. If there are individuals from Arakan, they will definitely verify them, regardless of whether they originate from Sittwe or elsewhere. We don’t have any young people, but with this level of strict scrutiny, it's getting hard to reside here." 

Consequently, numerous inhabitants of Sittwe had to evacuate by air to the mainland, the sole escape option, anxious that conflict might erupt in the city. 

Sittwe is presently governed by the junta, and locals express feelings of entrapment and oppression due to the junta's intimidation tactics against unarmed civilians.