Incident in Khaikhy Village on India–Myanmar (Mizoram–Paletwa) Border Resolved, Says ULA/AA

News ၊ September 17, 2026

Individuals who allegedly played leading roles in the incident are seen being detained by DLEPS (photocrd)

The incident that occurred on September 14 at the Khaikhy village jetty in Siaha District, Mizoram State, India, has been resolved, according to U Khaing Thukha, spokesperson for the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA).

Briefly describing the incident, a responsible official involved in negotiations to resolve the matter said:

“There is a Boat Supervision Committee office in Khaikhy village, Siaha District, Mizoram State, India. The office handles arrangements for traders and boat operators from both countries, including trade and commercial activities, permission for transporting and loading/unloading goods, and arranging boats according to a rotational system. The office is also responsible for arranging the boats that transport goods to the Paletwa side.

Young people from the MARA THYUTLIA PY (MTP) village youth association have been responsible for managing and organizing these activities at the office.

In the incident that occurred, a 25-year-old Rakhine boat operator named Ko Zaw Naing Lin, from Zalain Taung village in Kyauktaw Township, went to the Boat Supervision Committee office at 10:05 a.m. on September 14, 2026, to ask for his boat to be given a turn.

The reason he went to make this request was that, on the previous day, September 13, seven cargo trucks had arrived at the Khaikhy village jetty in Siaha District, Mizoram State. The goods from all seven trucks were loaded onto boats operated by Indian boatmen on a priority basis. As a result, the Rakhine and Paletwa-side boat operators were unable to load goods onto their boats.

At the same time, Ko Zaw Naing Lin's boat had already been waiting to be loaded for two days, so his boat was supposed to be included among the group of boats going down toward Paletwa. However, since his boat was not included on the list, he went to ask for his turn.

On the other hand, he had been drinking alcohol at the time. A youth leader from the Mara Thyutlia Py (MTP) group, who was working at the office, told him, ‘Did you submit your boat seniority [turn] according to the system? Are you going to get seniority without submitting it? Don't come here drunk and talk. Come up to the boat committee office.’

At that point, one MTP youth member made a gesture as if he was about to strike Ko Zaw Naing Lin with his hand, and he apparently thought that the person was going to hit him. Since Ko Zaw Naing Lin was drunk, he responded, ‘If you hit me, I will hit you back. You have to arrange my boat's turn.’ They exchanged words and argued, and during the ensuing scuffle, Ko Zaw Naing Lin was punched in the face by one of the MTP youth members.

The incident happened because the boat operators from the Paletwa and Rakhine sides believed that, although it was their turn to leave, they were not being allowed to depart and that the boat operators from the other side were being given preferential treatment. That was why they went to complain.

In addition, when the other side was explaining the situation, they made a gesture with their hand that Ko Zaw Naing Lin interpreted as an attempt to hit him. This led to the unwanted incident.

Because he was dissatisfied with what had happened, he brought around 30 of his friends and went as a group to the MTP office, where they damaged the office and attempted to set it on fire. Fortunately, the fire was extinguished in time, preventing a more serious incident. We were also deeply saddened by what happened.”

The MTP youth members were also dissatisfied that the group had arrived at their office, damaged it and attempted to set it on fire. In response, they damaged shops on the Paletwo-side bank opposite Khaikhy village and also assaulted one person in the area.

“In reality, this was simply an ordinary group fight in which young people from both sides got into a confrontation, damaged shops and, after drinking and losing control of themselves, became physically involved in the dispute. Officials concerned from both sides met and resolved the matter amicably.

Those who were at fault have already apologized to those to whom they owed an apology.

In addition, ULA/DLEPS is currently detaining and taking action against Ko Zaw Naing Lin, who initiated and played a leading role in the incident, as well as some other individuals who took leading roles.

The situation is now calm,” Khaing Thukha explained.

At present, Ko Zaw Naing Lin, who initiated and played a leading role in the incident, and several other individuals who played leading roles are being detained by ULA's Arakan People's Rule of Law and Public Security Department (DLEPS) for further action.

Khaing Thukha also said that some media outlets were exaggerating the incident in order to create ethnic divisions and further worsen the situation.

“The actual situation is as I have explained. We have seen groups that want to create ethnic divisions exaggerating the incident, as well as some media outlets that are not reporting the facts accurately and are writing in ways that further worsen relations between the two sides.

In particular, we have seen this from The Kalandan Post and two or three other media outlets. If you study these media outlets, you will see that they are all anti-AA media outlets and people who spread hatred.

Furthermore, they are people and media outlets that do not want to see friendly relations between the Chin Brotherhood and the AA and are constantly trying to provoke tensions. They are also spreading hate speech regarding the Paletwa issue.

This can be seen even more clearly by looking at the wording, terminology and information contained in the statement issued yesterday by India for Myanmar in both Burmese and English.

They have portrayed an ordinary fight as though it were an ethnic conflict, written accounts that contradict the actual facts, assigned blame one-sidedly according to their own agenda, exaggerated the incident, and used language reflecting jealousy and resentment toward the success of the ULA/AA.

These are the kinds of things that can be observed,” he said.

It is also reported that on the day of the incident, the boat operators from the Paletwa side included people from various local ethnic communities, including Rakhine, Khumi and Mro.

It is currently reported that the Khaikhy–Lungpu road will be temporarily closed from September 16 to September 26. Goods currently located in Khaikhy village will also be transported by boats from the Indian side.

source@onenationnews