The family of Dr. Bo Bo Nge, the detained deputy governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar, have asked about his health and whereabouts.
Dr. Bo Bo Nge, in his early 50s, who has heart problems and hypertension, was arrested by the military at his home in Naypyitaw at 7am on Feb. 1.
The arresting officer in military uniform told the technocrat that he had to speak to military commanders “for a moment” and his family has heard nothing since.
“I have not received a word from him or the military. Even his whereabouts are unknown,” said his wife Daw Hnin Wai Lwin.
She has called for help from the International Committee of the Red Cross and said on Facebook that the family is “very concerned”. She told Radio Free Asia’s Burmese service that she does not know what to say when their young son asks, “When can I call Daddy?” The boy used to talk to him by phone when he worked late.
Dr. Bo Bo Nge studied financial reform at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and was a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD)’s economic committee before being appointed deputy governor in 2017.
Days after his arrest, the family of U Bo Bo Nge, the central bank management and NLD cabinet members had to evacuate their government homes. The other deputy governors, U Soe Min and U Soe Thein, were also detained on Feb. 1 but released a day later.
The reason for his arrest is unclear. U Bo Bo Nge took part in the 1988 uprising as a student activist and was jailed for several years for his pro-democracy activism under military rule in the 1990s.
After the coup, the military formed its governing body, the State Administrative Council, and appointed new central bank governors.
About 140 people have been detained since the Feb. 1 coup, including State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, union ministers, some deputy ministers, chief ministers and government critics.
U Min Ye Paing Hein and U Sett Aung, two deputy ministers for planning, finance and industry, were reportedly detained last week a few days after the coup.
Also arrested last week was Australian Dr. Sean Turnell, an economic adviser to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and his family is demanding his release.
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