551 Muslims, including 111 Bangladeshis, granted amnesty and planned to send back to native places

At least 551 Muslims, who were released from various prisons inMyanmar by the junta authority under an amnesty on 1 August, have beensent back to their native places in Rakhine State and also Bangladesh.

361 Muslims, including 97 women, were sent back to Maungdaw township and  79 (including 9 women)  to Buthidaung township of Rakhine State, where as  111 Bangladeshi nationals are expected to be deported to their native villages.

They were transported by three speed boats from Sittwe to Buthidaung on 16 August, reported the Rakhine daily page of Arakan State military council.

A Buthidaung resident informed that the speed boat entered the harbor at around 3 pm at Buthidaung jetty. Another ferry ship, Aung Takkhon, entered at around 10.00 pm on Wednesday.

He also said that 440 Muslims from Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships are being examined at the respective township immigration departments.

"It is known that Muslims from Buthidaung and Maungdaw are being re-checked at their respective township offices of immigration. They are re-checked in order to send them to their original places,” he added.

The group of Bangladeshi nationals (with 3 women) will be handed over to their country officials and till then they will be temporarily detained in Buthidaung prison.

On the full moon day (1 August) the Myanmar military council granted an amnesty to the prisoners, who were serving sentences in various jails. Altogether 7749 prisoners including 551 Muslims were freed.