Some locals from Domgam village on the Myitsone Road in Myitkyina, Kachin State were arrested by Military Council soldiers. Around 10 people living in a neighbourhood were taken by the troops. They were claimed as the eyewitnesses of a road crash in which a car driven by an officer and a private from the Military Council rammed into two girls riding a motorcycle and went away.
That hit and run incident was occurred at night of September 17. After news spread that those two army men were detained by KIA, about 100 soldiers from the Military Council arrived to Domgam village and conducted strict interrogations.
At around 3:00AM on September 20, the Military Council troops indiscriminately opened fire and set alight a house in Domgam village. Some people around the area were also arrested by the military, a resident living near the village told Myitkyina News Journal.
“There were no people living in the house. The house was situated on the opposite of the road crash site. This morning, soldiers arrived and torched the small house built with bamboo and tin roofs. About 10 people living in the vicinity including the neighbours of the house were arrested after the soldiers accused them as the witnesses”, the local said.
Currently, the local people are in panic because the military is closely monitoring along the road from Arlam to Domgam. “There is nowhere to run away. We are very worried”, the local murmured.
Some elders and youths from the village who transported the road crash victims to hospital were also taken into custody by the Military Council. The troops said that all of them would be released after the interrogations.
“Soldiers said they won't do any harm. They assured that the detainees are able to go home after the interrogations. Not only the ambulance driver but also the elders were taken. All of them are innocent. We are very worried. We would like to ask to release everyone as soon as possible. The family members are crying. Some are sick now” the resident said.
A 30-year old man from Arlam village was also shot and a house was burned down on September 17, when the Military Council troops came to investigate about their two abducted comrades.
The Whereabouts of the Domgam villagers taken by the Military Council were not known yet. DomGam is a village with over 200 households and a population of more than 1000.
