U Khine Kyaw Moe, a member of Central Executive Committees (CEC) of the Arakan National Party (ANP) was abducted by the Arakan Army (AA) for criticizing U Hla Saw who attended a celebration of Union Day in Naypyidaw.
U Khine Kyaw Moe criticized U Hla Saw, a member of the ANP’s Policy Affair Committee for attending the Union Day organized by Myanmar’s military junta in Naypyidaw on behalf of the AA, the armed wing of the United League of Arakan (ULA/AA).
Following his Facebook post, criticizing U Hla Shwe, the AA reportedly warned U Khine Kyaw Moe on 15 February, and he later apologized U Hla Saw citing “he was drunk while post his comment against U Hlaw Saw on Facebook,” on 21 February.
However, he was subsequently abducted by the AA and taken to an unknown location. U Hla Saw who attended the Union Day celebration in Naypyidaw is a prominent member of the ANP and a former Member of the Parliament. He attended the Union Day celebration on behalf of ULA/AA without notifying his mother’s party or resignation from the party.
Khine Kyaw Moe who was abducted by the AA for criticizing U Hla Saw is not only a member of the CEC of the ANP but also a former active member of the Rakhine Student Youth Movement.
The abduction of U Khine Kyaw Moe has sparked public criticisms as being undemocratic.
“I’ve no idea why AA detained U Khine Kyaw Moe, but no one should be detained for expressing his or her political views,” a Rakhine human rights activist explained the Chindwin.
The AA has also previously detained several dissidents, including members of parliaments from the National League for Democracy (NLD) and human rights activists.
