Myanmar Military Media Accuse The Armed Ethnic Group Killing 25 Workers And Kidnapping 47 Others

JAKARTA - Myanmar military-affiliated media have accused armed ethnic groups of killing 25 construction workers in eastern Myanmar, as well as kidnapping 47 others last month.

The military regime-affiliated Global New Light of Myanmar news website said 47 civilian workers from the construction of the Uhu River Bridge on Kanelay-Mawkhi road near Kanelay Village in Wawle in Myawady District, which is being built by the military, were kidnapped by the Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO).

The kidnapping is said to have occurred on May 31, led by a Captain named Saw Par Wah from KINDO along with 30 of his subordinates. Those abducted consisted of 31 men, six women, and 10 children.

On June 1 and 9, two men, six women, and 10 children were said to have managed to escape, with six of them injured and receiving treatment. On June 11, one burnt body was found at the site, 1.300 meters northeast of the Uhu river bridge, and six more bodies with their hands tied behind their backs on the ground. On June 12, another 18 bodies were also found.

Cited from Reuters on Monday, June 14, officers then tried to examine the bodies with the identities of the workers, to then inform the family.

"Officers from the bridge construction site examined the bodies with their identities to inform parents and relatives", he said.

Reuters was unable to reach KNDO for comment on the allegations. A spokesman for the military regime did not answer calls for further comment. Even so, the details of the incident and the identities of those reported killed could not be independently verified.

The KNDO, which has been fighting for greater autonomy for the Karen people since 1947, is among the armed ethnic groups that strongly oppose a military takeover.

Last weekend, Myanmar's military regime accused armed ethnic groups of being responsible for the recent series of bombings in the Land of a Thousand Pagodas.

A spokesman for the military regime, Zaw Min Tun, said three armed ethnic groups provided bombing training. The three are the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Karen National Union (KNU), and the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), each of which does have an armed military wing.

"Information was obtained from people who have been arrested and equipment seized. The explosive lessons they gave were used to destroy public buildings", he said.

For information, cited from the activist group Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners (AAPP), as many as 863 people have been killed and 6.028 people detained, of which 4.863 are still in solitary confinement as of Sunday, June 13.

Regarding the Myanmar Coup. VOI editors continue to monitor the political situation in one of the ASEAN member countries. Civilian casualties continue to fall. You can follow news about the Myanmar military coup by clicking this link.