2 April 2008, Sittwe: Burmese police raided one monastery and the home of a politician in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, on 28 and 29 March, for political reasons, said one politician who refused to be named.
He said, "The first raid took place at U Kway Balu's home, also known as U San Shwe Oo, on 28 March, and is related to the referendum. Some local people near his home spoke out against the government supporters mobilizing people for the upcoming referendum on the draft constitution."
U Kway Balu is a well-known senior politician and his residence is located in Wra Gri Mrauk in Sittwe. During the raid, U Kway Baly was not home and the police force did not seize any anti-referendum documents from his house.
"It is a consequence of people against the referendum. U Kway Balu is not related to those people who went against the pro-government activists during the referendum organizing. But the police team raided his house because the authorities thought he was behind those people's actions."
On 28 March, members of the Myanmar Women's Organization mobilized local people in the area to meet at a Dhama hall at Haintha monastery to support the referendum. Some local elders asked the pro-referendum organizers how they were supposed to support the referendum without knowledge of the draft constitution, and the told the women that if they wanted their support, they should first give them the draft constitution.
The women organizers complained of the incident to the high authority, and the police team subsequently raided U Kway Balu's house.
On 29 March, a monastery in Sittwe was also raided by a police team led by Inspector San Shwe Maung, but no arrests were made.
A witness said the police team raided a monastery in town known as "two lions" monastery, in Lamadaw Taung ward, in the early hours of the morning. The raid was reportedly conducted by a police team looking for a monk who led the September Saffron Revolution.
Authorities in Arakan State are now preparing to crack down on anti-referendum activists and many politicians and monks in Sittwe are being closely watched by intelligence and police forces currently.
Narinjara News
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