Six PLA members arrested for abusing NUG official in Sagaing’s Pale Township

National Unity Government (NUG) authorities say they have arrested six members of the anti-junta People’s Liberation Front (PLA) for allegedly detaining and beating a local NUG official in Sagaing Region’s Pale Township late last month. The six are accused of physically assaulting Shwe Waing, the NUG-appointed administrator for the village of Yaekyaw, on the morning of October 26 after he told them to stop inspecting vehicles at a checkpoint they had set up near the village. In his testimony to the Pale Township People’s Defence Organisation (PDO), which carried out the arrests of the PLA members, Shwe Waing said he told them that if they want to carry out inspections, they should consult with local authorities first. In response, they demanded to know who he was, and when he identified himself as the village administrator, they attacked him, he said. “They punched me twice in the face right there, and then called me to the back, where they punched me again about four more times and kicked me in the chest,” he said. The 65-year-old administrator said he was then taken to a nearby PLA camp and placed in shackles. When local residents heard of Shwe Waing’s detention, they went to the checkpoint to demand his release, leading to arguments between the two sides, according to a PDO report. PDO and People’s Defence Force (PDF) troops were already present when Shwe Waing was brought back to the checkpoint from the PLA camp at around noon. He was observed to have bruises on his face, the report said. Shwe Waing, left, shows his injuries after the incident; PLA members following their arrest by the Pale Township PDO (Photos: Supplied) A struggle then ensued, during which Hnin Maung, the PLA's political officer for Pale Township, gave the order to open fire, according to the Pale Township PDO. This resulted in one PDF member being shot in the hand, destroying three fingers. The conflict then further escalated, with a PLA member throwing a grenade into the crowd. However, no one was injured because the grenade failed to explode. Hnin Maung and five others were then taken into custody, and are currently being held in connection with the incident, according to the Pale Township PDO. “The district commander will handle all matters that need to be further addressed,” Pale Township PDO officer Nan Win told Myanmar Now. A PLA information official said the group was negotiating with the NUG’s Ministry of Defence regarding the detention of their six members and declined to provide any additional details as discussions were still ongoing. The PLA has not released a statement about the incident, and NUG spokesperson Nay Phone Latt did not respond to requests for information about how the matter would be handled.

Six PLA members arrested for abusing NUG official in Sagaing’s Pale Township

The men are accused of punching the 65-year-old village administrator in the face for telling them to stop inspecting vehicles

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