A senior Buddhist monk from central Mandalay Region died last Thursday while being treated for wounds sustained while he was in military custody, residents of Mandalay’s Madaya Township said yesterday.
U Wayama died at a hospital where he was being treated for stab wounds, the residents said.
U Wayama was the abbot of the monastery in Htanbingon Village in eastern Madaya Township. He was also the secretary of the township’s Sangha Nayaka Committee (the governing council for monks).
He was arrested by junta troops on Nov. 12 last year and disrobed.
Two days later, his body was found on the side of a creek near Ziphyubingon Village, a resident of the township said.
“The regime dumped him on the bank of a creek near Ziphyubingon Village. He was injured and was receiving treatment at Madaya Hospital. He died on Jan. 18 and his funeral was held on January 20 in Htanbingon Village,” the resident said.
Another resident said U Wayama had life-threatening knife wounds: “We found him with knife wounds on his side. He also had knife wounds on his neck … he was killed by the military.” the source said.
It is not yet clear why the abbot was arrested. A monk who was visiting U Wayama at the time of his arrest was also briefly detained. Junta troops also reportedly took a vehicle from U Wayama’s monastery.
