Two years after abductions, fate of villagers from Kyauktaw Twsp still unknown

17 Mar 2022

DMG Newsroom
17 March 2022, Kyauktaw

The fate of eighteen villagers from Arakan State’s Kyauktaw Township who were abducted by Myanmar military personnel two years ago is still unknown, according to family members.

Eighteen villagers from Tinmagyi and new Tinma villages were abducted by Myanmar military soldiers in March 2020, in the presence of their relatives.

After relatives repeatedly raised the matter with the Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Association in Sittwe and the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, the previous civilian government formed an investigative commission in December 2020, assigning the head of the Mrauk-U District police force to lead the investigation.

Nothing more is yet known about the abducted villagers after more than a year of purported investigation, frustrated relatives say.

Tinma village administrator U Maung Kyaw Win, whose son was among those abducted, said: “The commission has only made one inquiry since it was formed. Family members have repeatedly asked the commission about the progress in its investigation. But commission members have said they know nothing. We don’t know if they are still alive or dead, so we are worried.”

Ma Mya Win Kyi, the elder sister of detainee Ko Maung Kyi Lin, said she has been torn apart at the thought of having possibly lost her brother.

“Family members are frustrated because they are told nothing about the investigation. It is unacceptable that the investigation is stopped halfway,” she said.

DMG was unable to reach the Mrauk-U District police force for comment on the progress of the investigation. Junta-appointed Arakan State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Kyaw Thura was also unavailable for comment.