Minbya Twsp man dies of gunshot wound: family

By Aung Htein 04 Nov 2020

Aung Htein | DMG
4 November 2020, Sittwe

A man is believed dead after being shot in Minbya Township’s Myitnadone Chaung village on November 3, according to family members of the deceased. 

A military column of some 50 troops coming from the direction of Minbya town opened fire at the entrance to Myitnadone Chaung village on Tuesday afternoon, locals said. 

Ko Tun Tun Win, on his way to the Lay Myo River east of the village to take cover, was hit by gunfire and fell into the river, his father U Tha Sein Aung told DMG. 

“I felt great sadness for the death of an innocent person. I want them to empathise with a father’s place like mine. I don’t want anyone else to suffer like me,” he said. 

While Ko Tun Tun Win’s body has not yet been found, the 30-year-old’s shirt was spotted near the place where he was shot, family members said. 

Villagers said the Tatmadaw opened fired though there was no fighting nearby. Some villagers fled in fear and hid near the Lay Myo River’s banks, and others sought shelter at the village monastery, according to locals. 

Following the gunfire, the military column took about 20 villagers in for questioning and left for Mrauk-U Township, the Minbya Township administrator said. 

“We have never experienced such an incident before. All the villagers were shocked as they had never seen anything like that. They even could not have meals out of over fear,” said U Mae Hla Aung, the administrator of neighbouring Donechaung village.    

The village has a population of 300 people. Only some remain in the village as many have fled to nearby villages.  

Seeking comment on the local people’s accusations, DMG attempted to contact the Tatmadaw True News Information Team’s spokesperson Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, but he could not be reached. 

In a statement on November 4, the military said soldiers on duty in Minbya Township were carrying out security measures near Myitnadone Chaung village, where it alleged that the Arakan Army was preparing to detonate a landmine targeting a Tatmadaw motorcade.  

The Tatmadaw said three Arakan Army members wearing civilian clothes and carrying small firearms fled to the east from the local Win Restaurant on November 3 and the military fired at them. The three shot back and ran away into the Laymyo River, according to the military’s November 4 statement. 

Similarly, three villagers including two 10-year-old children from Seikkayya village in Minbya Township were injured in late October by Tatmadaw gunfire in another case of civilian casualties despite no indications of fighting between armed groups. 

Altogether 46 civilians have died and 129 were injured from June to November 3 due to the conflict between the military and the Arakan Army, which has plagued Arakan State for nearly two years.