Five arrested on suspicion of links with organizations in exile

September 20, 2007

IMNA/HURFOM, Khaw Zar

According to reporter, four women and a man were arrested by a Burmese Army officer from Infantry Battalion No.31 based in Khaw-Zar sub town in southern Mon State on suspicion of passing on information to organizations in exile.

Telephone owners

Nai Aung Khin (40 years)

Mi Kon Payu (60 yeas)

Ma Nu (4 years), Ma Hla Win (35 years) and

Mi Chan Kyi (18 years) were detained in the military barracks and are being interrogated, family sources said. The entire cordless phone supplies in Mi Kon Payu’s house were seized by the army officer on September 16 following the arrests, the sources added.

“I don’t know the name of the officer but in Burmese soldier’s troop, I saw Bo mike-Khae (Commander Col. Ba Lay) who lives in the No.31 battalion. They (troops of soldiers from IB No. 31) started the interrogation yesterday. We don’t know exactly what they are being asked,” sources close to the arrested said. But some resident said the arrests were simply to extort money by the army officer.

Nai Aung Khin, the phone owner set up the phone at Mi Kon Payu’s house for his business dealings with migrant workers in Thailand and their families in Khaw-zar town.

Recently the army officer also seized three cordless phones from the area and returned them after extorting money. “We heard that each of them were ordered to pay about Kyat 100,000 as fine to get their cordless back,” Nai Chan (not his real name) from Khaw-Zar sub town.

It was also report that along with the five people, the army officer also detained Nai Tin Shwe (40) and beat him up severely on an unknown charge.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News