Charity worker detained and killed by soldiers in Mandalay Region ‘was not involved in politics’

Soldiers this week arrested and then murdered one of the leaders of a local charity that provides free funeral services in a village in Mandalay Region’s Madaya Township, a close friend of the man has said. 

Than Myint, the 57-year-old secretary of the Mahar Kusalakari social services group, was taken from his village of Sakhangyigone at around 3pm on Monday and his family was told of his death the following day. 

Madaya has seen simmering unrest between resistance groups and the military in recent months, and Than Myint is now the fourth person to have been detained and killed by the junta in the township since the February coup. 

But the friend said he had no idea why soldiers targeted Than Myint: “He only did charity work and farming. He was in no way involved in any political matters.”

Than Myint’s body had bruises on the face and head when it was returned to the family, suggesting that he was “brutally beaten” before he died, the friend added. 

Last month soldiers in Madaya detained and killed 33-year-old Ye Aung when they were unable to find his nephew, who is a protest leader. Soldiers also captured and killed a PDF member named Ye Thu Naing last month when he came out of hiding to visit his sick mother.

In early October 35-year-old Thein Zaw was detained by junta forces in Madaya and his body was found near his village three days later. 

On Monday a woman from the town of Madaya was arrested for allegedly sharing posts by local PDF groups on her Facebook page and her family is still unable to contact her, according to another Madaya local.

“People from our town are being arrested and killed even if they did nothing,” said the local. “The military informants are pointing fingers at whoever they don’t like so that the military will kill them.” 

At least 1,339 civilians had been killed by the military since February 1, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

On Tuesday a group of international experts from the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar said the Myanmar military met the legal definition of a terrorist organisation. 

“The Myanmar military junta is committing acts of extreme criminal violence, intended to provoke such a state of terror in the population, that ultimately people will submit to its political agenda,” the council said.