Five individuals suspected to be from the Rohingya community were shot and killed by the military junta after arriving by boat on the Koh Doot-Thaungpyin coastal area in northern Ye Township, Mon State.
According to local sources, on the night of February 12, a boat carrying at least 10 men and women arrived at the Koh Doot-Thaungpyin coastline. The group was intercepted by military junta forces patrolling the area.
During the pursuit, five men attempted to flee by jumping into the sea but were shot dead by junta forces. At least 10 remaining individuals were captured and taken away, reported a local source.
“When their boat arrived, they were stationary at a certain point. Once the military junta got news, they went down there. The group tried to run when they saw the military junta. The ones who ran were shot, and those who didn’t were arrested. People attempting to enter without documentation are frequently caught here,” the source said.
The bodies of the five men were not recovered immediately. However, on February 14, local residents found them washed up on the shore.
“Locals reported the discovery to the authorities, so officials came down. I heard that the bodies were buried right there, but I don’t know for sure,” said a local woman.
The group is suspected to have traveled from Rakhine State via the sea to Ye, intending to continue toward Payathonzu and then cross into Thailand for work.
Since the military coup, groups of people have frequently entered the northern coastal areas of Ye. It is thought that brokers based in Thailand are arranging the transportation for a fee.
The cost of crossing by sea from Rakhine State to Mon State reportedly ranges between 400,000 to 800,000 kyats per person, with migrants frequently being arrested by military junta forces.
Currently, security has been tightened along the Thai border near Payathonzu due to online scam operations, and electricity has been cut off in the area. According to local sources, despite these security measures, migrant workers attempting undocumented border crossings continue to gather in the town.
