Singapore arrests, deports 6 Myanmar nationals for supporting armed insurgency group
A
reported six Myanmar nationals with alleged ties to that country’s
Arakan Army rebel group and its political wing, the United League of
Arakan, landed at Yangon International Airport late last night, after
the Singaporean government announced their arrest and deportation.
In
a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the government
said the presence of supporters and organizers for the groups was
“inimical to Singapore’s security,” pointing to deadly attacks on police outposts by the group earlier this year.
“According
to reports, the AA killed over 20 police officers in the two attacks.
Family members of police officers, including women and children, were
reportedly abducted by the AA in these attacks,” the MHA wrote.
The
Myanmar Press Photo Agency reported that the sextet arrived back in
Yangon at 11pm last night, and uploaded a video showing Ko Tin Hlaing
Oo, identified by Myanmar outlet the Irrawaddy as a spokesman for the Arakanese Association Singapore (AAS), being greeted by a scrum of reporters.
In
the video, Hlaing Oo can initially be heard telling reporters he was
“fine,” then snapping when they continue to ask questions.
“I came back by myself, what does it have to do with you?” he can be heard shouting.
In
its statement, Singapore’s Home Affairs ministry gave no indication as
to whether the deportations came at the behest of the Yangon government,
though the Irrawaddy’s report quotes a longtime friend of Ko Aung Myat
Kyaw, cousin of Arakan Army chief Tun Myat Naing and one of those
deported, as saying the Myanmar government had been seeking Singaporean
cooperation for some time.
Calls
to Myanmar’s President Office spokesperson Zaw Htay and Ministry of
Foreign Affairs spokesperson U Kyaw Zeya went unanswered.
In
addition to Hlaing Oo and Kyaw, the Irrawaddy identifies the others
deported as AAS chairperson Ko Hein Zaw, vice chair Daw Aye Myat Mon,
and communications official Ko Ye Kyaw Htet. A sixth man, identified as
Ko Tun Aye, was also arrested.
The
Arakanese Association Singapore (AAS) is a group dedicated to
contributing aid from Singapore to Arakanese who have been displaced by
military action in northern Rakhine State.
The
Arakan Army was formed in 2009 by Rakhine nationalists, one of many
such rebel groups battling majority rule by ethnic Burmese. It was the
January and March attacks by the AA earlier this year that were used as
the casus belli for a fresh round of brutal operations by the Myanmar
military in Rakhine State, actions that have been described by “horrific and unrepentant” by Amnesty International.
The
state has been in near-constant turmoil since August 2017, when the
military began a massive campaign against the Rohingya Muslim minority.
The operations, which have seen more than 700,000 Rohingya driven into
refugee camps across the border in neighboring Bangladesh amid rape,
murder, and the wholesale destruction of villages, have been widely
decried by the international community and labeled “ethnic cleansing”
by the United Nations.
According
to Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs, one of the six deported
yesterday, unidentified by name, had “coordinated AA’s fund-raising
efforts here,” while others were simply fingered for having provided
financial support.
The
ministry further noted their involvement in recent Singapore-based
celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the founding of the AA and
the United League of Arakan.
At
the event, those present wore clothing with the official AA logo, they
said, while some “were dressed in military uniforms with replica
firearms.”
“There
was also a live streaming video in which the leader of the AA urged the
Rakhine people to unite, and fight for Rakhine independence through the
AA’s armed conflict against the authorities,” according to the
ministry’s statement.
“Any
person, local or foreign, who engages in such activity, which is
inimical to Singapore’s national security, will be dealt with firmly.
Foreigners visiting, working or living in Singapore have to abide by our
laws,” it reads, before adding that Singaporeans should not let “the
actions of a few individuals taint the positive contributions of the
rest of the community, who live harmoniously amongst us.”
Source: https://in.news.yahoo.com/singapore-arrests-deports-6-myanmar-063156919.html
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