180 Arakanese Rohingya Boat People Fleeing Genocide Arrested Off Kawthaung

A boat carrying nearly 200 Arakanese Rohingya trying to flee the genocide arrested by Myanmar navy at around 155 miles off the coast of Kawthaung, the southernmost township of Myanmar on Dec. 15, at 8 pm, according to VOA.

Myanmar Army media spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun confirmed that they are Rohingya and mostly women and minors.

They were about to be brought to Kawthaung by the Navy for further interrogation and investigation, perhaps, before being jailed like the previous group of 95.

On Dec. 11, another group of 95 were sentenced to two yeas behind bars for travelling without permission from local authorities.

In another incident, 8 Rohingya young boys were arrested in Mawlamyine Town of Mon State on Dec. 14, at around 1 pm, who were trying to flee by land.

Rohingya in their homeland live either in IDP camps or open-air prison under tight restrictions with little access to healthcare, education or livelihoods in conditions Amnesty International brands as “apartheid”.