An interview with a 17-year-old youth charged with the Anti-Terrorism Law
September 28th, 2021
Myanmar military arrested 27 people from Letkar village in MraukU Township in Arakan State on April 10th, 2019. Among the detainees, Ko Zaw Myo Tun,25, U Thein Tun Sein, 35 and U Maung Than Nu, 40 died during the interrogation session. The remaining 24 villagers were charged under Section of the Counter-Terrorism Law. Under the Young Offenders Act, Ko Soe Min Oo, 17 and Ko Kyaw Soe Moe, 17 faced the court trial outside the jail. Ko Soe Min Oo and Ko Soe Moe Kyaw were freed as the military council revoked 17 juvenile offender cases charged under Section of the Counter-Terrorism Law in Arakan State in March, 2021. The DMG asked Ko Soe Min Oo about what happened in the village on the day when Letkar villagers were arrested and his experiences in the interrogation session.
Q: Firstly, can you recall the situation on the day on which the villagers got arrested?
A: It is April 10th, 2019. Fighting took place between the government army and the Arakan Army (AA) in the east of the village. Fighting started at 7 am and took place for around 30 minutes. The villagers were doing their work when the situation was stable. At around 10 am, the soldiers entered the village.
Q: How did the soldiers enter the village? What happened in the village?
A: Soldiers entered the village by firing shots. All villagers fled to the monastery when soldiers entered the village. Soldiers ordered the villagers to get out of the monastery. The military orders men and women to stand up separately near the bank of the lake in the middle of the village. Then, they took us to the entrance of the village from there. There is a lake. The military ordered the people to sit down near the lake.
Q: How did the soldiers arrest the Letkar villagers?
A: The soldiers came to the village as the AA entered Letkar village. The villagers had to guard the village on an alternating basis due to the political situation at that time. More than 20 people were assigned at each outpost. The soldiers got the list of guards and then ordered the men included in the list to get out of the village. First, the soldiers did not call my name. They asked the villagers whether there were guests in the village. I am from Oukphokan village in MraukU Township. I am working as a carpenter with my relatives in Letkar village. I told the soldiers I was a guest. The soldiers ordered me to stand under the hot sunlight for around three hours. The soldiers allowed me to sit down in the shade for a while. I had to stand under the sunlight again. After that, my hands were tied behind my back with rope. A soldier asked me whether I saw the AA members in the village. I replied that I did not see them. The soldier said you lied to me and he would not do that if you said you saw them. I replied that I did not see the AA members.
Q: To where were the detainees taken after the arrest?
A: Soon, soldiers called the names of 27 people. All detainees were taken to the road after tying two people with rope. The soldiers took them to the 540-Battalion in MraukU by car. The soldiers ordered us to alight from the vehicles and to lie in a prone position on the ground. It was difficult to get down from the vehicle as two men were tied with rope. Soldiers trampled us if we were slow. Soldiers kicked those getting down from the car. The soldier tied our faces up with clothes and asked the age, name and parent names of each detainee. Then, all detainees had to get on the flight.
Q: Under this circumstance, how did you think about your future?
A: I have never experienced it before. I think the arrest of 27 Letkar villagers will be the first of its kind in Arakan State. I was afraid as I had never heard it before. I don’t know whether they would kill me or to where they took me. I was very scared. I was concerned about my parents when I got arrested.
Q: To where were the detained Letkar villagers taken from Battalion-540 in MraukU?
A: On that day, we were taken to the flight. Our hands were tied with tapes. I did not know where the detainees were taken to. We had to stay on the flight for five minutes. The detainees were overlapping. Our hands and legs were tied tightly. They beat our hands when we moved. They beat our heads with helmets. The flight took off after a few minutes. We have to get in the cars after getting down from the flight. Then, they sent us to an unknown place. They kept us separately. I knew I arrived in Sittwe when the daylight appeared. They sent us to Sittwe via Letkar even at night.
Q: How did they interrogate you in the interrogation session?
A: I did not eat my meals for three days. The next day, they only gave me cooked rice. The soldiers asked “Are you a AA member? What is your role in the AA? They also asked for my service number. I denied all questions. They punched my face and beat my legs with small sticks. I cried as I was painful. They no longer beat me when I cried. They charged me citing a link with the AA.
Q: Three of 27 detainees were killed in the interrogation session. Did you know their deaths?
A: I did not know it. They kept 27 detainees separately. I did not see how they died as the detention places were very far. I did not face interrogations in different places like the older ones. I had to stay in the interrogation place for 21 days. Then, I was sent to No.1 Police Station in Sittwe. I knew their deaths only when I was sent to the police station. I was detained in Sittwe police station for around one month. Then, I was charged. I had to face the trial outside the jail as I was granted bail with a juvenile offender case in August, 2019. I was freed in March, 2021.
Q: Do you have anything to say about unfair arrest and charge?
A: They shall experience the same thing as they did with us. They shall bear the consequences of past sins. I will never forget it. I want them to be penalized in accordance with the law or by other means.
Q: Twenty-two villagers from Letkar village are facing court trials for nearly three years. What do you want to say about the continued detention of them?
A: I want them to be freed immediately. They are not bachelors like me. They have families. They are facing difficulties in the survival of their families and the health and education of their children. I feel sorry for the struggle of their families. I want the detainees who are facing court trials to be freed swiftly.
Asked by Aung Htein (DMG).
