Eyewitnesses accuse military of detaining school principal in Ann Twsp

By DMG 14 Nov 2022

DMG Newsroom
14 November 2022, Ann

A middle school principal in Ann Township, Arakan State, was abducted by suspected junta soldiers at about 1 p.m. on November 14, according to local residents.

The detainee has been identified as U Zaw Phyo Wai, a 30-year-old principal from a middle school in Khayankyun Village, Ann Township. He was taken by security personnel in civilian dress, a resident said.

“Armed men in plainclothes came to the school and asked the teachers sitting in front of the school, ‘Where is the headmaster?’ They then took the principal for questioning and the reason for the abduction is still unknown,” the resident added.

U Zaw Phyo Wai, a native of Khwasonpyin Village in Ann Township, has been assigned to Khayankyun Village’s middle school for two years. The men who arrested the principal were junta soldiers, locals and eyewitnesses said.

“If people want to come to the village, they have to pass a security checkpoint set up by the military. It is impossible for Arakan Army members to arrest the principal by passing the military’s security checkpoint,” an eyewitness explained. “Also, three of them were wearing bulletproof vests. They speak Burmese, so I can confirm that they are from the military.”

When DMG contacted the administrator of Ngalatkya Village-tract, of which Khayankyun is a part, to confirm the military’s detention of the principal, he hung up the phone after saying he was not aware of the matter.

“Junta soldiers in two dump trucks came to the school and deployed armed security personnel outside the school,” said a source close to the principal. “About five junta soldiers in civilian dress abducted the principal for questioning. He [U Zaw Phyo Wai] is still detained and his whereabouts remain unknown.”

DMG was unable to obtain comment from Arakan State Minister for Security and Border Affairs Colonel Kyaw Thura and military junta spokesperson Major-General Zaw Min Tun regarding the matter.