Motorbike driver dead a day after being arrested by Tatmadaw

By Myo Thiri Kyaw 28 Sep 2020

Myo Thiri Kyaw | DMG
28 September, Mrauk-U  

The body of a Mrauk-U Township resident recently detained by the military was viewed at the local hospital a day after he was taken into Tatmadaw custody, according to his family members.   

The corpse of the 38-year-old man was taken to Mrauk-U Hospital by an ambulance from a local social organisation, the Mrauk-U Yadanarpala Funeral Service, on the evening of September 28, the family said. 

Identified as U Aye Kyaw, the victim was a three-wheeled motorbike driver from Myothit Ward in Mrauk-U Township. 

He was reportedly arrested by security personnel from the military’s Light Infantry Battalion No. 377 while transporting an 80-year-old woman to Nahtin (Khamee) village to undergo medical treatment. Following his disappearance, family members went to the local base of Battalion No. 377 to investigate, but they were turned back at the gate as they were told the detainee was not being held there, according to U Maung Nu, U Aye Kyaw’s father-in-law.  

Family members had not been in contact with U Aye Kyaw since then, and his dead body was seen at the local hospital, U Maung Nu said. 

“We did not [formally identify] his corpse because the body was being examined till now. But we saw some injuries to his head. His body is now at the hospital’s mortuary. We received a phone call from the hospital about the victim’s death. Our family feels like the world is falling apart. He is survived by his wife and a 5-month-old baby,” he added.

U Tun Thar Sein, an Arakan State MP for Mrauk-U Township, confirmed reports of a civilian fatality. The legislator said if U Aye Kyaw was suspected of criminality, he should have been afforded due process.  

“Even if the victim is guilty, he should be prosecuted in accordance with the law. I think that the death of a detainee is not in conformity with the legal process,” he said. 

Family members said they were unsure of what to do about the victim’s death as no medical examination results had been released as of press time. 

DMG attempts to reach the relevant spokespeople from the Tatmadaw True News Information Team for comment on the alleged death of another civilian in military custody were unsuccessful. 

Several people have died in military custody since the beginning of hostilities between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army in Arakan State began in late 2018, and some are still missing with little to no information as to their whereabouts or status since being detained.