In May, the military regime committed five human rights violations as far as we could gathered.
- Regime’s aerial strike killed seven and injured ten in Mingin Township, Sagaing Region
Seven civilians, including three children, were killed, and ten others were injured in a regime aerial bomb attack in Mingin Township, Sagaing Region on May 4. According to witnesses, the junta’s fighter jet dropped three bombs near the soccer field in the village of Pikkhara in the Taungdwinchaung area, located more than 20 miles west of Mingin. The bombs exploded and caused major casualties. Among the deceased were Mg Phoe Aye (age 3) and his grandmother Daw Myint Win (age 50), U Than Swe (age 53), and Daw Ma Lay (age 45). Two unidentified children (age 3 & age 5) also died of the wounds during medication. The blasts caused severe injuries to more than ten people, including an 8-year-old child who had his leg muscles severed.
- Eighteen murdered by the regime soldiers in Htantabin Township, Bago Region
On May 10 at around 8 pm, the regime soldiers reportedly killed and burned the bodies of 18 villagers of Nyaungpintha Village in Htantabin Township, Bago Region. The group, consisting of eight men and ten women, including four underage boys from the village, was targeted during the raid by 100-strong troops. Some individuals from the group were alleged to be military supporters and did not attempt to flee, assuming they would not be harmed. The age range of the victims varied, with the youngest being a five-year-old child and the oldest a 70-year-old man.
- Eight including an underage killed in interrogation in Kawthoung Township, Tanintharyi Region
On May 22, the regime’s forces reportedly killed eight civilians at the interrogation center in Kawthoung Township, Tanintharyi Region. The victims had been arrested for allegedly supporting PDF forces and one of them was Mg Wai Phyo Oo, just 16 years-old. Over 20 people in Kawthoung Township were abducted during April and May. While the rest were let go, those eight were interrogated brutally and murdered.
- Concerns mount over violent interrogation of political prisoners
In the last week of May, 27 political prisoners from Myingyan Prison and Daik Oo Prison were reportedly tortured by respective prison authorities. From May 21 to 23, a total of 12 political prisoners from Myingyan Prison were taken away for interrogation as they were accused of using a phone. Due to the excessive beating by prison guards, one of the detainees named Ko Okkar died, and the whereabouts of the rest remained unknown as of May 24. Similarly in Daik-U Prison, a total of 15 detainees were forcefully taken for questioning on May 25 and 26. The prison guards threatened detainees with torture if they did not follow peacefully. One of them, Ko Thant Zin Win, a former recruiter of Bago PDF, was said to be killed in interrogation on May 26.
This was originally published in the latest magazine issue. Read here: https://bit.ly/45z1pn8
#MohingaMatters
#FreedomMemoirs
