Military council soldiers came in large numbers and arrested the wife of a charity leader on a warrant. He had gone into hiding to avoid arrest in Pathein in Ayeyarwady Region, according to local residents.
An eyewitness said: “The soldiers and police officers got out of the truck and stormed into the house. They said they wanted to check the guest registration. They pointed their guns at the house and the street. The army captain seemed to be drunk. We heard them shouting swear words and asking the wanted person to come out of the house”
Junta soldiers, police officers and members of the Pyu Saw Htee arrived in six vehicles and arrested Daw Thinzar Aung (also known as Ma Ah Ngel Ma), the 45-year-old wife of a charity group leader U Zaw Thant, who lives on the corner of Circular Road and Hlansu Street in Pathein’s Ward 6, at around 8:30pm on 8 December.
Under the pretext of checking guest registration, the military council soldiers searched the house thoroughly for about two hours. When they could not find U Zaw Thant , they arrested his wife Daw Ah Ngel Ma and confiscated her cell phone, people close to them said.
Ma Ah Ngel Ma is a rice noodle vendor and has a 12-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter. Since she was arrested, relatives are taking care of her two children, people close to her said.
A resident of the district said, “We still don’t know where Ma Ah Ngel Ma was taken to. Both the ward administration office and the police station said they don’t know. Her husband was often involved in community and social work. His wife has nothing to do with it. Now some unreasonable people will torture or harm her, and the family is worried”
A former member of the legal aid group said that the arrest of Daw Thinzar Aung (also known as Ma Ah Ngel Ma) is not legally justifiable and is an illegal action by the junta soldiers.
The person wanted by the military council, U Zaw Thant, who is the subject of a Section 505 case, is a goldsmith and a leader of a charity group. Although he protested against the military coup, he does not belong to any political party.
Some ward administrators said U Zaw Thant had not returned home after the coup because of violent attacks and arrests in Pathein, and it had been almost three years since he last returned home.
Sent by NMG.
