ANP call for justice for civilians’ deaths

03 Jul 2019

Khaing Roe La | DMG

3 July, Sittwe

The Arakan National Party (ANP) on 3 July said that civilians’ deaths during interrogations is a lawless act and called for an end to the atrocities, also action should be taken against the perpetrators.

The demand was issued after the meeting of the ANP’s Policy Affairs Steering Committee and the Central Executive Committee. The meeting released a statement that included four points requesting the government and the Tatmadaw to exercise greater regard for the rule of law and the humanitarian treatment of civilians.

U Tun Aung Kyaw, member of ANP’s Policy Affairs Steering Committee and Central Executive Committee, said that the ANP demanded legal proceedings because Arakanese people who have been detained by the Tatmadaw under the suspicion of having affiliations with the AA were subsequently killed during interrogations.

“The union of Myanmar adopts existing laws. No one should kill a person, even if they are treated as a suspect. Every citizen has rights to get sufficient legal protection under existing laws. So, the ANP is calling for action against those who committed crimes. The perpetrators think they’re above the law.” U Tun Aung Kyaw said.

He added that the ANP did not want to hear about cases like the death of Ko Zaw Win Hlaing. The ANP announced the statement because it has responsibility to voice their opinion boldly, he said.

“It is meaningless that people were killed just because they were suspects and they were not protected by the rule of law. The ANP cannot accept such incidents. That’s why we released the statement,” he said. 

The announcement said to amend the Tatmadaw’s unilateral ceasefire declaration that omits the Western Command, to provide sufficient humanitarian aid for IDPs, to take actions against perpetrators involved in the death of civilians who died from being tortured and to seek a solution for armed conflicts by means of negotiating.

The funeral of Ko Zaw Win Hlaing who died undergoing medical treatment for injuries during the Tatmadaw’s detention was held in Mrauk-U cemetery on 3 July.