Father, son and one other person missing from Kyauktaw villages

Kaing Lu Hla (Yoe Ma Mye)
Narinjara News, 27 March 2020

One father and son from Mar Lar village and one man from Det Hpyu, Kyauktaw Township have gone missing, having last been seen on March 22.  Families have been unable to contact the three men and are increasingly anxious about their whereabouts and situation. 

The father and son are U Mey Toke Chay (58 years old) and Than Tun Maung (32), both from Mar Lar village.  Than Shwe Maung, from Det Hpyu, is also missing.

U Mey Toke Chay’s youngest son Ko Tun Thein Maung said, “The military arrested my father and brother last Sunday, on March 22, and took them away.  They had gone back to the village to collect some clothes when they were arrested. U Than Shwe Maung, had gone along with my father to help, and he was arrested as well.  U Yet They Aung, who had been washing in the stream by Det Hpyu, saw the military arrest them.  Our family haven’t had contact with them since and we are really worried.”

There are over 170 households in Mar Lar village, although currently the village is deserted, since everyone fled to camps in Kyauktaw downtown.

U Mey Toke Chay and his son, as well as U Than Shwe Maung disappeared while going to Mar Lar village from a Kyauktaw downtown camp to get clothes, Ko Tun Thein Maung said.

“My mother is Daw Saw Thein Nu.  She is 54 years old. My mother  really worried about my father and brother, she can’t eat or sleep. We want to know where they are.  If someone can help us, please help us”, Ko Tun Thein Maung said.

He said he had informed Kyauktaw Police Station as well as the Arakan National Party.
Kyauktaw Township MP U Maung Maung confirmed that three people had disappeared.

“We haven’t been able to get in contact with the military.  Since we haven’t been able to ask them, the State Speakers and the Minister for Border Affairs and Security have been informed of the matter.  I can’t provide further details as yet.  The families say the three men are with the Kyauktaw based military” he said.

Amongst over 20 people who have disappeared in Kyauktaw Township, 10 are from Tin Ma Gyi and 8 from Tin Ma New and were taken away by the military.  Families have said that they want the law to be followed and respected.