The deputy administrator of Naungcho Township, Kyaukme District, northern Shan State, has reportedly died during interrogation after being arrested for his participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).
U Htay Lin Aung – the deputy administrator of Naungcho Township – was arrested at a checkpoint in Kyaukme in March 2022 after participating in the CDM and has since been held incommunicado, according to people close to his family.
His family learned of U Htay Lin Aung’s death during an interrogation only in July this year, more than a year after his death.
“He has been missing since last year. We hadn’t heard from him since then. We couldn’t have any contact with him. He went to Kyaukme for some business. Since that day, he hasn’t returned. Later we learned that he had been arrested at the checkpoint in Kyaukme. Then came the news that he had been tortured to death in the interrogation center. We just found out,” said the person close to the victim’s family.
After his disappearance, his family members went from one prison or interrogation center to another hoping to find him, but they did not receive any news about his whereabouts, he added.
The family even reported the case to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to search for him, but they still did not find him, the family members said.
“When he went missing, we searched everywhere for him. We also turned to some organizations for help. We also asked the ICRC and (Assistance Association for Political Prisoners -AAPP). But after a year of searching, we couldn’t even locate his name. Now we have learned that he has died. But we haven’t had a chance to see his body yet,” said a family member.
Currently, U Htay Lin Aung’s family is still holding out hope of seeing him again.
“We have our child. I don’t want to call my life “difficult”.’There are people out there who are in an even more difficult situation. We still managed to keep it together. We’re trying to keep ourselves healthy, hoping that one day we’ll see him again,” said the victim’s family member.
More than 3,744 civilians have died in Myanmar following the military coup, while 19,312 others have remained detained, according to a report released 3 July by the AAPP.
Sent by Shan Herald.