Junta-appointed ward administrator stabbed to death in Ann

By DMG 09 Jun 2022

DMG Newsroom
9 June 2022, Ann 

A junta-appointed ward administrator was stabbed to death near an office of the township war veterans’ association in Ann, Arakan State, on Thursday morning, according to locals. 

The deceased has been identified as 30-year-old U Paing Paing, an administrator for wards 4 and 5 in Ann, who reportedly died of multiple stab wounds. 

The victim was stabbed in the chest and back by two men, according to local sources. 

This is the first time in Arakan State since the military coup on February 1, 2021, that a junta-appointed ward administrator has been killed. 

“I don’t know the reason why he was stabbed to death. He was appointed the ward administrator after the military coup, so he must have had some influence over the people,” said Ko Myo Lwin, a resident of Ann. 

Residents in the neighbourhood said the victim was a crime reporter before the coup and later became an informant for the Myanmar military, helping to bring about the seizure of illegally logged timber. 

He was trained as an auxiliary police officer to serve at polling stations during the 2020 general election, and after becoming ward administrator, he was disliked by locals for the influence he wielded, Ko Myo Lwin told DMG. 

Twelve houses from Ward 5 were reportedly among about 200 homes that were forcibly demolished by the Myanmar military last month. Ko Myo Lwin said he did not know whether the administrator’s death was related to the demolition of the homes or not. 

But U Paing Paing was also described as someone who enthusiastically participated in social activities and philanthropic works in Ann. 

Residents are worried about their safety as the police and military are planning to conduct a door-to-door search operation following the killing of the administrator, a resident of Ward 5 said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. 

“The police and military will conduct interrogations of locals over the death of the administrator. We are concerned for our safety,” the unnamed resident added. 

U Shwe Aye, the deputy administrator for Ann Township, was not available for comment.