Husband flees

Husband flees, wife grabbed

The wife of a man in hiding from a homicidal case, where the victim turned out to be a military intelligence officer, was arrested in his stead, reported sources from Rangoon and Lashio. 

Nang Khawn, 46, of Nam Oom village, Muse Township, was taken away by MI-23 of Maj. Min Zaw on 11 August after her husband, Zai Hin, a suspect in the case was not found on the premises. She is still under custody at the time of this reporting, according to the source from Lashio. 

"This incident serves as a joke on Daw Khin Win Shwe's recent statement that women are equal to men," said the source from Rangoon. Daw Khin Win Shwe is wife of Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Rangoon's No.3 man. 

Zai Hin was one of the 5 civilians who accompanied a Shan State National Army officer back to Muse from Tima on 8 July (earlier report said 10 July) when they were stopped by a group of officials led by Sgt Ah Nge Lay of MI-23, who said he was looking for weapons. 

A civilian, Sang Awn, "to the shock of all", snatched up a pistol kept in the truck for emergency, and fired at the search party, killing the sergeant and wounding a few others. All the passengers, including Zai Hin, then made their escape. 

Sang Awn died from his wounds at 04:00 11 July, said the source. 

The military authorities later raided the SSNA office in Muse and took into custody a number of its members. Most have them have been released except officer Kham Awng who had some firearms in possession, according to the source from Lashio. 

The SSNA is a Shan group that broke away from warlord Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army in 1995 and made peace with the military government. Its leader, Col Gun Yawd, suffered an injury during a car accident in February and is still receiving medical treatment in Rangoon. 

N.B. MI = Military Intelligence