Ein Soe Hpyu

Narinjara News, 1 August 2020

The body of U Tun Maung Sein, a 61-year-old shopkeeper in Kyein Karlivillage, Rathedaung has been found 18 days after his murder. His remains wererecovered from a toilet cesspit behind a house this morning.

According to Maung Bu Ye, the son-in-law of U Tun Maung Sein, somevillagers had returned to the village recently and recovered the body at around8 am on 31 July after noticing a bad smell.

"He is my wife's father. The soldiers shot and killed him. Theydragged him out from where he was hiding in the shop and killed him in front ofmy mother-in-law. When everyone fled the village, his body was left behind. Wecame back to try and retrieve the body but we couldn’t find it. There was a badsmell and that was how his body was found, put in the toilet cess pit andcovered with a tarpaulin at the back of a house. We are cleaning the body forburial. The relevant authorities have also been informed. Burial can only bedone with their permission. The body is no longer suitable for viewing. I amjust devastated,” Maung Bu Ye, the son-in-law said.

Fighting had erupted near the village of Kyein Karli on July 13.  so the victim, U Tun Maung Sein,had  hid in his shop.  Three soldiers had subsequentlyfound him, dragged him out and shot him, Maung Bu Ye added.

Daw Khin Saw Wai, a Pyithu Hluttaw representative forRathedaung Township, confirmed that the body had been found.

“The family contacted us and informed us that the body had been found inthe toilet cesspit of their house. They said they were working to retrieve thebody. If a crime has been committed, it should be dealt with within the legalframework. This should not have happened,” she said.

U Khin Maung Latt, a representative of the Rathedaung Township NationalAssembly, also said he had been notified.

“I got in touch with U Tun Maung Sein's daughter and son-in-law. Theburial will be difficult. The corpse is decomposing. They told me the policehave been informed,” he said.

When asked about the matter, Rathedaung Township Administrator AungMyint Thein said that his personal secretary had found the body. He did nothave details concerning who was involved in the killing but he confirmed thatthe family had contacted the police.

Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun of the Tatmadaw’s true News information unitdid not answer the phone.

Major Gen. Tun Tun Nyi, the vice-chairman of the Tatmadaw's True Newstold DVB that there was no reason for the Tatmadaw to enter the village andstart shooting and no civilian casualties were reported in Kyein Karli village.

More than 250 civilians have been killed in armed conflict between theMyanmar Tatmadaw and the AA in Rakhine State, according to Rakhine conflictmonitoring groups.