A villager in northern Shan State who was arrested by government forces has been held for over two months during which time he has not even been allowed to see his family, according to relatives.
Sai Htum, a villager from Want-Koung-Home Village in Namtu Township, Northern Shan State, was arrested for having a walkie-talkie radio and for being a suspected rebel. Soldiers from Brigade 77 arrested him after he came back from farmland on 8th October.
A relative said his family has not been allowed to see him and they do not know where he is being detained.
Sai Khan who is a social affairs activist in Want-Koung-Home Village said: “We complained to our member of parliament who told us that all the villagers had to sign a letter of complaint [before anything could be done], but no one dared to sign. Yes, the radio was given to him by the Shan forces, but is it wrong to have a walkie-talkie radio? Having a radio means there will be less battle clashes if he informs them where [army] companies are and where they are going. Also if there is no fighting the villagers can go to work without any problems.”
The chairman of the Shan Nationalities Democracy Party (SNDP) in Mong-Yin Village-Tract, Namtu Township told S.H.A.N: “Our man went to see him in custody at Hsipaw police station. We tried to bail him but the authorities said that our proposed bail terms were insufficient, so they have not yet released him. Actually, he is not from a rebel organisation, he is just a Palaung villager.
Sai Htum is 54 years old, his wife is over 40 years old, he has a 17-year-old daughter, a 12-year-old son and a 10-month-old son according to villagers.
The Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) is active in Namtu Township. They have signed a union level ceasefire agreement with the government.
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
