The Arakan Army (AA) has arrested and detained a former people’s militia leader from Maungdaw township, who is the most trusted pupil of Sayadaw U Wirathu who is well-known as an extreme nationalist, MPA has learnt.
The arrested is U Tun Myat Oo who was a former leader of a people’s militia, in northern Maungdaw township, which was armed by the terrorist military leader Min Aung Hlaing during the Rohingya clearance operation in Maungdaw region in 2017.
“He stays very close with border guard forces, soldiers and also keeps close contact with monks. He’s sort of this and that in this port. It’s true that the AA arrested him,” said a seller at Angumaw port in Rathedaung township to MPA.
Following the news that the man had been arrested at Rathedaung township’s Angumaw port by the Arakan Army (AA) on July 9, MPA contacted the family members but no contact has been made as their phones are switched off.
The man had previously been imprisoned for 6 months on section 505(a) of State Defamation on July 9 of 2018 by the NLD government after he, without permission from the government, forcefully invaded and established a new village over the Rohingya villages in the south of Maungdaw township, which had been torched up.
“The exact news of his arrest has not reached us yet. We would have to reply after asking the headquarters,” Khaing Thu Kha, spokesperson of the Arakan Army (AA), said to MPA.
During his arrest in 2018, a gun, hand grenade, swords and many people’s militia uniforms were seized at his house, but the terrorist military released him after imprisoning him for 6 months.
“He first came to Rakhine, post the 2012 conflict, with U Wirathu. His father was from Khin Nyunt’s intelligence team. His mother is Bamar and his father is Rakhine. His dad was a drop out from the intelligence. He’s back to Rakhine again on the excuse of nationalism,” said a Maungdaw local.
MPA has learnt that the man, Tun Myint Oo, is a central committee member of the Peace and Diversity Party (PDP) of Nay Myo Wai who lead the Anti-Rohingya activities along with U Wirathu, an extreme nationalist.
According to records of the Union Election Commission, U Tun Myint Oo competed in the 2015 General Election as a PDP Pyithu Hluttaw representative of Ayeyarwady region’s Kyonpyaw township.
“Both his dad and himself are very close to MaBaTha and the military, and they also worked together with Anti-Rohingya activists in Rakhine. They’re both a problem for Rakhine. They have a close relationship with Kyarchae (U Than Tun) of the current military since before,” explained a civil society group in Rakhine to MPA.
U Tun Myint Oo was born in Magway region’s Pakokku township in 1973 and he holds a Yangon region national registration card. He’s settled in Maungdaw with his family since the 2017 Rohingya clearance, MPA has learnt.
“He’s also led some of Soe Tun Shein’s Maungdaw businesses and he is a former leader of a minority Rakhine people’s militia in the north of Maungdaw. Things went a little calm after clashes with the AA in Rakhine,” a Maungdaw local said to MPA.
Additionally, MPA has learnt that U Tun Myint Oo has also actively participated in the Myanmar National Network, Anti-Rohingya organizations including the MaBaTha and in support ceremonies of section 59(f) of the Constitution which prohibits the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi form becoming President.
He attempted to compete in the 2020 General Election from Maungdaw township, and he was a lead activist, in Maungdaw region, in the terrorist military’s Anti-Rohingya movement and campaign not to resettle the Rohingyas in their original villages when they are repatriated.