Lawmakers discuss to return bodies of detained villagers to families

By Khaing Roe La 04 May 2019

Khaing Roe La/ DMG

May 4, Sittwe

A proposal to return corpses to family members was submitted to the state parliament.

In the proposal submitted by U Tun Thar Sein, a state legislator for Mrauk-U Township, on May 2, he said 3 of 27 people from Letka village in Mrauk-U Township, who were detained after April 10, died during military interrogations, but families of dead villagers were not allowed to see them and it was unfair for family members.

“They didn’t see their loved ones. It was painful for them. That’s why we, as the Arakan state government, submitted the proposal to return the bodies of victims to their respective families officially,” he told the media.

Unless the bodies are returned to their families, it could lead to a misunderstanding about relevant organizations and it’s just inhumane, said state lawmaker U Tun Aung Thein of Buthidaung Township, who supported the proposal.

“If the bodies of suspects aren’t returned to their respective families, no one will know how they died and that could raise doubts about the efficiency and integrity of relevant departments,” he said.

The state parliament approved continuous discussion on the proposal because there is no rejection as of now.