Latest killing of suspected junta informant in Dawei sparks demand for investigation

Resistance groups based in Dawei District, in southern Myanmar’s Tanintharyi Region, are calling for an investigation into the killing last week of a man accused of acting as a military informant. The victim, 53-year-old Kyi Lay, was shot dead on April 12 during a raid on his home in Pyin Htein, a village in Dawei District’s Launglon Township. The raid was carried out by the Launglon People’s Defence Team (PDT), which operates under the command of the defence ministry of the publicly mandated National Unity Government (NUG). In a statement released earlier this week, 13 local resistance groups said they had “formally requested the relevant NUG ministries to take punitive actions against the offenders by stating that the shooting and killing of a civilian by force is an illegal act.” Min Lwin Oo, a resident of Pyin Htein and member of the Democracy Movement Strike Committee—Dawei District, one of the groups that filed the complaint, said that while Kyi Lay was known to be close to the local police chief, there was no evidence that he had informed on anybody. “What I can say for sure is that no one in our village has been arrested because of information he passed on. No house has been burnt down or sealed off because of him. He did not cause any harm to the village,” said Min Lwin Oo. “There is no evidence to support the allegations against him as an informant. Accusing him without proof and resorting to shooting is an illegal act. It was an extrajudicial killing,” he added. The Launglon PDT has previously come under fire for its use of lethal force against those it suspected of acting as informants. During an investigation into its activities, it admitted to killing at least 16 civilians, including a 64-year-old Buddhist nun, between March and September of last year. Htwe Aung, the officer in charge of the Launglon PDT at the time, and his deputy Hein Thu Aung were both suspended following an inquiry, but no further action was taken against them. On April 8, the Launglon PDT sent a letter to Kyi Lay warning him to leave the township within 24 hours. Min Lwin Oo said he intervened on Kyi Lay’s behalf, promising to bring him in for questioning if the ultimatum was revoked. However, four days later, his home was raided and he was shot by those who came to arrest him, according to Min Lwin Oo. “They did it without any consultation. They claimed they shot Kyi Lay because he attempted to flee, but that’s not true. According to eyewitnesses, they shot at him once as soon as they got out of their car, then proceeded to arrest him,” he said. “They didn’t shoot him because he was running away. He ran away because they shot at him. He was shot at close range while hiding in the creek, and died of an open head wound.” A spokesperson for the Launglon PDT denied that Kyi Lay was deliberately killed, saying that the group’s current policy is to detain suspects, not execute them. “He was not intentionally killed. We were prepared to just arrest him. Unfortunately, he died,” said the spokesperson, who identified himself as Shadow. He also asserted that the group was sure that Kyi Lay was an informant. “We know that he was acting as [a junta informant], but it was not easy to obtain detailed information regarding his actions. But based on the information that has come out, I am certain he was doing so,” he said. He added that the PDT at the district and regional levels had been informed about the incident. The township PDT would proceed in accordance with their instructions, he said. EF5 Tanintharyi, a group monitoring the situation in Tanintharyi Region, said in a report released last December that purges targeting alleged junta informants had claimed as many as 10 lives a month last year. The number of reported incidents has fallen sharply since then due to a public outcry and demands for accountability from relatives of the victims, according to locals.

Latest killing of suspected junta informant in Dawei sparks demand for investigation

The anti-regime Launglon People’s Defence Team, which admitted to multiple killings last year, is again accused of using unjustified lethal force against a suspect

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