Unidentified armed men detained three National League for Democracy (NLD) candidates in Taungup, Rakhine state, at around 10am on Wednesday morning.
About ten men arrived by boat at a village where the candidates were preparing to campaign and took them away, said the NLD’s township chair Tin Thein Aung.
The three candidates are: Min Aung, who is defending his seat in the state parliament, Ni Ni May Myint, who is defending her lower house seat, and Chit Chit Chaw, who is competing for an upper house seat.
Min Aung is also the former Rakhine state minister for municipal affairs.
Mya Wutyi, Min Aung’s wife, said she was told the men beat her husband and tied him up before leading him away. She last saw him on Sunday when he left their home in Taungup for the campaign trip.
“My husband is working in the interests of the people, and supporting the needs of the people in parliament in a peaceful way,” she told Myanmar Now.
“What I heard was that he has been beaten and tied up with rope and taken away,” she added.
The three visited Phaung Kar village, 15 miles from Taungup, to campaign and stopped to eat at the home of one of the party members, Tin Thein Aung said.
“The armed group reached the village when they were having a meal… and arrested them. We don’t know yet which armed group,” he said.
The NLD’s spokesperson, Dr Myo Nyunt, said he understood that the men had taken the candidates to Ramree island by boat.
He added that he could not confirm which group was responsible but that he suspected it was the Arakan Army (AA).
“By arresting candidates who are campaigning legally, they will lose the trust of the people,” he told Myanmar Now. “We demand they are freed in good health and as soon as possible.”
Myanmar Now was unable to reach the Arakan Army for comment. In November last year the group detained NLD MP Hawi Tin in Chin state and then released him in January.
This year’s election campaign has been marred by violence, mostly committed by USDP supporters attacking members of the NLD.
“Our candidates have been threatened during the campaign period. But now it’s turning into physical abuse… I can’t accept it,” said Tin Thein Aung.
Party members, candidates and supporters are growing increasingly worried about further violence as the November 8 polling day approaches, he added.
Colonel Min Than, the Rakhine State Minister for Security and Border Affairs, did not answer calls seeking comment on the candidates’ detention.
