Families ask help regional parliament to meet detained villagers

By Khaing Roe La 25 Apr 2019

Khaing Roe La/ DMG

April 25, Sittwe

About 30 local people on Thursday asked Rakhine State’s Hluttaw Speaker to visit detained family members following the death of three detained villagers, the Tatmadaw apprehended for questioning because they suspected them of having connection with the AA.

A Tatmadaw column arrested 27 villagers and three of them, U Maung Than Nu, 50, from Lekka village and U Thein Tun Sein, 40, and Mg Zaw Myo Tun, 24, from Yun Chaung village died during the military’s interrogation process, Rakhine State’s Hluttaw Speaker U San Kyaw Hla said.

They also requested to see the bodies of three villagers who died during interrogations.

Although it is reported that U Thein Tun Sein committed suicide, his family could not believe it because they did not see his body, said U Maung Nyunt Tha, son-in-law of U Thein Tun Sein.

“We did not see the body of my father-in-law. We were told by phone that he died after committing suicide. That’s why we asked for help from the Hluttaw speaker who knows the location where our family members are detained,” he said.

Daw Than Khin Kyi, wife of U Maung Than Nu, said that she felt it was unfair because they were not told about the death of their family members.

“I heard that my husband died. But I did not see his body. I want to see it. I feel great sorrow for my husband’s death. He is not a member of the AA. I thought they unfairly arrested and tortured my husband. I want to see them punished,” she said.

Rakhine State’s Hluttaw Speaker confirmed the death of three villagers. According to Rakhine State Minister for Security and Border Affairs and the hospital, the death of three detained villagers was correct, he said.

“The cause of the deaths is different. The Tatmadaw said one person died because of disease, one committed suicide and the other one was drug addict and died due to drug withdrawal symptoms,” he said.

He added that he will help villagers within the framework of the state parliament’s mandate and he had informed Rakhine State Minister for Security and Border Affairs about the request of family members.

U Oo Hla Saw, Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Mrauk-U Township, said that it was worse than under the military’s administration because family members were not allowed to see the corpses of villagers.

After the military coup in 1988, families were informed about the deaths of their family members, even from Insein Prison, and they were allowed to perform funeral ceremonies for the dead, he said.

“They should be informed about the deaths of family members. Surviving family members have to endure a lot a grief and emotional pain. It is an unacceptable situation,” he added.

After a two-hour clash between a Tatmadaw column and members of the AA in civilian cloth near Lekka village on April 10, the Tatmadaw troop arrested 23 suspected people from the village, the Tatmadaw True News Information Team said.

However, a Lekka village administer told the DMG that 27 people were arrested and 19 of them are local residents of Lekka village.