Brutal Man Awarded by the Military Regime

_{By: Yawd Lao}


Col Than Tin Aung resides in the western part of Pongpakhem guarded by 70-80 strong Infantry Battalion 225 which is based in Mongton. The local people fear him very much as he is using aggressive way when dealing with the civilians.

In Rangoon, when generals are going from place to place, traffic must be clear. Every car on the road must stop on the roadside. No one dares to go against it. The same thing happens in Pongpakhem, while Col. Than Tin Aung is on his way, every vehicle must halt, otherwise vehicles would be kept and the drivers would be fined.

 "One villager was slapped, detained and his motorcycle was confiscated for driving in front of Col Than Tin Aung's vehicle" said one villager from Pongpakhem.

Four soldiers and one cook were beaten because they could not carry out the Col's wish. In May 2007, the colonel ordered his special private cook (Name unknown) to cook catfish for him. As it was late to find the catfish, the cook could not find any. She was beaten for not fulfilling her master's wishes. In October 2007, a four wheel car, with coffee color, owned by "Ai Gala", 34, was ordered to transport Col Than Tin Aung to attend a conference. While he was on his way, four soldiers stopped the car because they did not know in advance that Col Than Tin Aung was in the car. The colonel climbed off the car and hit their faces for their carelessness. And he warned, "Do not let this kind of things happen in future".

Another event is about onion and potato traders. Six of them were detained for three or four nights. They were accused of destroying the roads. However, one villager said, "The traders asked permission to repair the roads, but the authorities usually replied, 'It is not your duty,' and the roads were never repaired.

The latest event in November 8, 2007, was that the headman and villagers were sent for to apologize the colonel. The case was Sai Naw, 35, who went to the border to pick his father coming back from Thailand with a Dream honda. While he was driving, the motorcycle could not go because the mountain was high. So he stopped and kept it beside the road. It was at the same time Col. Than Tin Aung was driving on this road and he confiscated the motorcycle by accusing Sai Naw of creating difficulties on the road. He ordered the owner, headman and villagers to come and apologize, otherwise, the owner would be arrested and the motorcycle kept. Finally, the colonel's wishes were fulfilled with bribes. One villager said "From that moment on, we have been careful and do not even dare to look at him."

The resident there said, "He is the one the hardest to deal with". Some also said, "He was promoted and sent to Russia on scholarship award. Instead of giving opportunity to well-behaved officers, he was selected. This has been the system practiced by the military government in Burma throughout its 45-year long history."