Rathedaung Twsp man wounded by shrapnel

By Hnin Nwe 29 Aug 2020

Hnin Nwe  | DMG
29 August, Rathedaung 

A resident of Ngasanbaw village in Arakan State’s Rathedaung Township was wounded by an artillery shell allegedly fired by the military on August 29, according to family members of the victim. 

The 60-year-old man, identified as U Aung Kyaw Nyunt aka U Maung Bu Yay, was injured when the shell exploded near his home in Ngasanbaw village at about 2 p.m. on Saturday, said the son of the victim Ko Aung Tun Win. 

“The artillery shell landed on a lane in front of the house. My father was hit by shrapnel because the kitchen is too close to the lane. A military battalion based in Rathedaung town opened fire on Yaymyet and Ngasanbaw villages constantly since 9 a.m. and stopped the firing after my father was injured,” he told DMG. 

The victim reportedly sustained multiple injuries to his arms and left shoulder. 

Locals accused the military’s Rathedaung-based regiment of firing more than 20 artillery shells, although there were no hostilities between the military and Arakan Army near Ngasanbaw village on the day of the incident.  

DMG phoned Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun and Maj-Gen Tun Tun Nyi from the Tatmadaw True News Information Team for comment on the incident, but they could not be reached. 

Upper House lawmaker U Khin Maung Latt said: “Arakan State has been plagued by armed conflicts and there is a wide spread of the coronavirus pandemic there. Concerned officials should prevent the military from opening heavy weapons fire. The military is fully responsible for the shelling.” 

At least 10 civil society organisations from across Myanmar including a coalition of CSOs in Arakan State issued a joint statement on August 25 calling on the government and the Tatmadaw to end human right abuses in Arakan State, including the indiscriminate shelling of villages.