Myanmar Junta Forces Abduct and Torture Three More in Tamu

By The Irrawaddy 24 April 2021

Junta forces abducted and tortured three young people in Sagaing Region’s Tamu, a town in northwest Myanmar at the border with India, on Thursday. One of those abducted is in critical condition, according to local residents.

The man in critical condition is a member of local neighborhood watch group. He was severely beaten after junta forces found four walkie-talkies in his possession, said local sources.

“Three were abducted on Thursday. One of them is in critical condition. They beat him so badly that his arm was broken and [the bone] protrudes [through the skin]. Despite pleas from the people, they took him to a creek and cut his body with knife before they took him to the police station,” said a Tamu resident.

The man was denied medical treatment, and his family members have also been not allowed to visit him.

As of Thursday, more than 20 young people have been detained in Tamu by junta forces.

“None of the detainees has been released. Most of the detainees are young people. Security forces have detained even those who deliver water and lunch boxes as well as those who have Indian SIM cards in their mobile phones,” said a Tamu resident.

Junta forces have used excessive force to attack Tamu since April 16. The escalation of violence came after some of the regime’s troops were killed and wounded when local residents repulsed the security forces’ crackdowns on anti-regime protesters. Some civilians were killed, some were detained and some have fled into India.

According to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 739 people have died nationwide in junta forces’ crackdowns from Feb. 1 to April 22. A total of 3,370 have been detained and 1,099 people have gone into hiding after the junta issued arrest warrants for them during the same period.

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