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Case Number

20241125RA

Case Date of Filing

25/11/2024

Suspected/Known Time of Incident

Local Time and Date: Exact time unknown. 30 June 2016.

 

GMT/Zulu Time and Date: Exact time unknown. 30 June 2016.

Case Researcher(s)

Makaela Rackow

Summary

Witnesses reported that soldiers took dozens of men into custody in a remote part of the Northern Shan state in Myanmar on 25 June 2016. A senior general in the military reported that five men were killed by the soldiers during interrogation.

 

The area where the villagers were taken has long been troubled by ethnic insurgents. In the same area, five bodies were found in a shallow grave. The military allegedly pledged to help the families from the village of Mong Yaw where the men were found.

 

The military conducted a court martial, which found that the soldiers failed to follow certain rules and procedures, resulting in the death of the villagers. It is unknown how many soldiers were being charged or what charges they faced.

 

Two bodies were also found dead in a ditch close to where the other five bodies were buried. It is unknown who killed them or why. The bodies were exhumed by local human rights activists.

Case Location

Mong Yaw

 

Latitude/Longitude (WGS84):

23.01.16.56N, 98.06.18.67E

 

Town/Region/Country:

Mong Yaw, Shan State, Myanmar

 

Individual Incident Locations:

Long Mon village of Mong Yaw subtownship in Myanmar’s Shan State

 

Potential location 1

22.28.43.84N, 98.29.42.57E

The grave was found somewhere in this village. The exact location of the grave is unknown.

 

Case Location Evidence Below:​

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/shan-state-villagers-arrested-by-myanmar-military-turn-up-dead-near-lashio-06302016160757.html

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Casualties

Total Suspected/Known Number of Casualties:

07

 

Injured:

unknown

​

Fatalities in Incident:

unknown

 

Fatalities in Grave:

07

 

Further Casualty Information:

Age Range: 18 to 60 years old.

Genders: Males and Females

Ethnicity/ies: Palaung and Shan villagers

 

Casualty Evidence Below:

Government soldiers detained three ethnic Palaung men and 11 Shan villagers. Six women were released, along with three of the men. Three Palaung men were later arrested. Seven of the detained villagers were found in the ditch.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/21/myanmar-military-admits-soldiers-killed-villagers-during-interrogation

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/shan-state-villagers-arrested-by-myanmar-military-turn-up-dead-near-lashio-06302016160757.html

Suspected or Known Aggressors

Group/Tribe/Militia/Organisation:

Myanmar military

​

Suspected/Known Quantity of Participants:

unknown

 

Aggressor Evidence Below:

The military claimed responsibility for arresting and interrogating individuals, claiming that failure to adhere to interrogation guidelines resulted in the deaths of the individuals found in the grave. The military provided money to the victims’ families but it is unknown how many soldiers were involved or if they were punished.

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