The Burma Army detained a teacher, accusing her of affiliating with Kachin Independence Army (KIA) after the parents of two girls, who joined the ethnic armed organization, blamed the teacher for their disappearance, according to a local.
“Likely, their parents reported it to the police and it is why the soldiers arrested her,” the school teacher’s neighbour in Chipwi town (also known as Chibwe) told KNG.
Soldiers detained Labawng Hkaw Nyoi’s 3-year-old son when arresting the teacher from Zan Nawng Yang primary school because there wasn’t anyone to look after the child when 20 soldiers burst into her home at an internally displaced person (IDP) camp, according to a woman who requested anonymity.
The teacher who is 40-years-old has three older children.
The area is controlled by Kachin People’s Militia Force (PMF) led by Zahkung Ting Ying.
The PMF is affiliated with Burma Army and forcibly recruited many IDPs as well as fingered those it suspected of associating with KIA to the military.
Fighting that broke out across Kachin State following the coup hasn’t reached Chipwi or Pangwa, which KIA Brigade 7 claims as its territories.