Civil society organizations, including the Education Network for Rakhine, have issued statements calling for a proper investigation into the recent murder of a middle school teacher on her way to school in Rathedaung Township, Arakan State.
According to locals, middle school teacher Daw Hnin Yu Nwe was brutally murdered and her throat slit on the way from her home in Pauktaw village to Pan Hpaw Byin village on the morning of 16 September.
In connection with the murder of the middle school teacher, the Arakan Students’ Union and Arakanese from Rathedaung living in the United States, including the Education Network for Rakhine, issued statements calling for action.
Members of the Arakan Students’ Union’s steering committee called for justice to be served and for the ruling to be open and transparent to the public, regardless of which organization is handling the case.
“Whether it is the ULA /AA or any other organization, we want a fair and transparent action to be taken,” said a young member of the Arakan Students’ Union steering committee.
The murdered teacher is a 37-year-old middle school teacher named Daw Hnin Yu New, who worked at Basic Education Middle School – Pan Hpaw Byin.
Currently, the ULA /AA is investigating the case, but has not been able to identify or arrest any suspects so far, according to family members.
Villagers from surrounding villages and some employees of the school were also questioned by ULA /AA about the incident, said U Maung Kyaw Yin, administrator of Pauktaw village.
The Education Network for Rakhine statement said, ” Teachers are the most valuable members of society as they train the future of our country. The victim here was also a teacher. Therefore, the authorities bear a responsibility for this murder. Efforts should be made to find out the truth and arrest the perpetrator.”
The Arakan Students’ Union statement also said that the murder of an education worker posed a threat to the education community and could also pose a challenge to government workers deployed in remote areas.
A youth leader of the Arakan Students’ Union said, “In our Arakan State, underdevelopment has caused people’s education and awareness to lag behind in many areas. We are therefore concerned that we can no longer remain silent when similar events occur. The public must actively participate and speak out. And the perpetrator must be severely punished.”
The statement of the students’ union also points out that recently in Arakan State, some unscrupulous individuals have taken advantage of political instability to commit increasingly shameful acts of sexual violence and harassment against young women, students, underage girls and others.
Compared to other regions, underdevelopment in Arakan State has led to poor transportation and communication links; poverty has increased compared to the past, resulting in more thefts and robberies; this has led to a lack of security not only for civilians traveling on the roads, but also for government employees, the statement said.
To ensure the safety of Arakan women’s groups in Arakan State, civil society groups have called on the relevant authorities to establish a strong judicial system where perpetrators who threaten the social security of women in Arakan State can be tried in a fair manner before the Arakan public.
Educational circles and locals throughout Arakan State have also denounced the current perpetrator.
Sent by Narinjara