A local headman from Panglong, southern Shan State, 63 miles east of the capital Taunggyi, has been kidnapped for a week by a group of unknown armed men, local residents said.
The victim has been identified as Kyaw Win, over 50, and in charge for a hundred household at Panglong’s No. (1) Quarter Peace and Development Council (QPDC). He was taken by the group at 2:00 am on 18 November, but there has been no detail of his whereabouts, a local shopkeeper said.The armed men are yet to be identified as well. But they were reported to be over 10 men strong. Up to date, the victim has not been released by the group.
“No one knows where he is being kept. But we heard that he was brought to a mountain near our town,” she said.
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of Kyat 2 million ($2,020) from his family. However, the victim’s family is unable to pay and junta authorities are likely to collect from villagers, according to another resident who asked not to be identified.
“People are worried if authorities will force them to pay,” he said.
According to local gossip, the motivation for the incident could link with what he and the Quarter No. (1)’s Chairman Kyaw Htay had done to villagers, the source said.
The two were reported to have extorted money from villagers very often.
Rumors say the group’s main target could be the Chairman, but it was not easy to get him because there were many local soldiers and police providing security for him, the source said.
Some people say the armed men could be from some rebel groups while others say it could have been the handiwork of some members of the Burmese Army itself.
There are a number of armed groups active around the town such as Pa-O National Organization (PNO), Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ and the Burma Army itself.
In the northeast of the town is Loi Khey, a base of PNO led by Aaung Kham Hti, who is also a co-chairman of the junta-organized Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) Shan State South branch. The group concluded a ceasefire agreement with Rangoon in 1991. The northwest of the town is operated by the SSA.
The town had a similar incident over 7 years ago to an ethnic Chinese woman. She was said to be killed for failing to pay ransom demanded by her abductors.
