Village administrators from Buthidaung tortured and charged

Narinjara News, 10 October 2022

The military council has charged two village administrators from Rakhine State’s Buthidaung township under Section 17 (1) of Unlawful Associations Act after torturing brutally, it is learnt.

The accused are U Oo Kyaw Hla, 66-year old Dynet administrator from Tatminchaung village and U Hamad Tusaung, 61-year old administrator of Mi Gyaung Zay Mulasin village.

After the two people were transferred to Border Guard Force No 13 police batallion, their families were able to meet and witness suffering of pains due to the wounds from torture while in custody, the family members told Narinjara.

“We were informed when the military handed the two over to the police and we went and met. It is not necessary to mention about the torture. It has become usual,” a family member said.

“They are old. Over 60 years of age. The whole body has been swollen and were suffering pains. It was very unpleasant to see. I don’t want to tell about their debt for the past’s misdeeds and the hell they are now suffering,” they said.

“No 234 batallion based in Buthidaung invited the two together with 10 other village administrators for a meeting on September 3 and held them at the regiment for that night. The ten were released the next day. But, continued to detain the two administrators.

“We didn’t get contact until September 28 and only on September 29 at 5pm, we got contact after they were transferred to Buthidaung Border Guard Force’s No 13 police battalion.”

“They were forced to confess that they had collected money and paid to the Arakan Army. After that they were transferred to the police, the family members said.

“They handed them over to Border Guard Force police on September 29 and obtained warrant at Buthidaung Township Court on 30 September. The court appointment has been set as October 14,” the family said.

Accusing the two were related to the AA, an officer from Buthidaung military council has acted as the plaintiff and filed case under section 17 (1) for unlawful association and then transferred to the police, it is learnt.

The remaining village administrators from Buthidaung Townships were worried about themselves after the incident of two administrators getting invited for a meeting and opened cases.