The regime’s Arakan State authorities sealed off the home of well-known local aid worker, writer, and former political prisoner Wai Hun Aung in the capital city of Sittwe on Monday.
Wai Hun Aung’s current whereabouts remain unknown. Due to severe internet and cellular network disruptions in the region, he has been unable to share further details while in hiding from authorities, he told DVB.
Targeted for truth-telling
Since his release from prison in a 2021 mass amnesty, Wai Hun Aung has been a vital source of information on the ground in Arakan State. Using his social media channels and communicating with independent Myanmar media, he has consistently documented military attacks on territory seized by the Arakan Army (AA).
His on-the-ground updates have repeatedly drawn international attention to the escalating conflict. Notably, he was a key source quoted by international media outlets following a devastating airstrike on the Mrauk-U General Hospital, which killed 31 people and injured 68 others, on Dec. 10.
The property seizure on June 9 is the latest challenge faced by the prominent activist. Wai Hun Aung was originally sentenced to 20 years in prison for high treason under Section 122(1) of the Penal Code, with an additional two years for incitement under Section 505(b).
He was convicted alongside nationalist politician Dr. Aye Maung for remarks made at a 2018 rally commemorating the 233rd anniversary of the fall of the Arakan kingdom to the Burmese Konbaung Dynasty in 1784. He served two years before being released.
In May 2023, police temporarily arrested Wai Hun Aung, his daughter, and three colleagues while they were delivering critical relief supplies to survivors of Cyclone Mocha. The group was released a day later after authorities failed to find anything “suspicious” in their humanitarian cargo.
The Wider War for Arakan
The confiscation of Wai Hun Aung’s home unfolds against the backdrop of a massive territorial shift in western Myanmar. Following a sweeping offensive launched in 2023, the Arakan Army now controls the vast majority of the region, including:
- 14 out of 17 townships in Arakan State.
- Paletwa Township in neighboring Chin State.
The regime currently only retains control over a few strategic strongholds in the state, including the capital Sittwe, the island of Manaung, and the town of Kyaukphyu. But now the AA is contesting for control of Kyaukphyu, which is home to a Chinese-backed deep-water port, energy pipelines, and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
Sealing off the properties of dissidents, aid workers, and activists is a common retaliatory tactic employed by the regime since the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021, to permanently displace its critics.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) party stated in 2025 that regime authorities have sealed off at least 835 homes belonging to civilians and NLD members nationwide since the 2021 coup, effectively barring the owners from ever returning.
