Three farm workers who were arrested along with a militia leader of Kayokepi Village in Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State, returned home on January 30th.
On January 29th, around 7 AM, the Kayokepi Village militia leader U Maung Sein (aka U Kartoon), member U Maung Ko, and farm workers U Mya Win, U Soe Min, and U Maw Kon were arrested by the People’s Defense Force (PDF).
According to a villager the farm workers were released the day after their abduction but militia leader U Maung Sein and one member, U Maung Ko were not released.
“Three of them are Burmese farm workers. They returned home. They were told to close their eyes and then released to walk back home. U Kartoon is still under arrest. When they were arrested, the farm workers were also present,” said a local resident.
The released farm workers are being interrogated by the military junta police. A person close to the family stated that they have not yet received any news about the militia leader and the member who has not been released.
One of the released farm workers said, ” I haven’t even heard about having to pay money. They took me away, and I haven’t heard anything since.”
According to local residents, the PDF forces also confiscated the weapons that the militia leader was holding, including one 38 colt revolver, three AK 47s, and one M-16.
U Maung Sein (aka) U Kartoon served as the village headman for more than 10 years before the military coup and has been leading the village administration as a militia leader since the coup. U Maung Sein also ran as a representative of the Union Solidarity and Development Party in Thanbyuzayat township, during the 2020 general election and was defeated.
