U Aung Swe, the eldest brother of the village administrator U Aung Win Swe, was allegedly punched and kicked by a group of soldiers led by the second commander of the LIB-541 which is being deployed at the village’s monastery for the safeguarding of the village. The attack occurred at around 5:45 pm last Saturday when he tried to intervene when the soldiers assaulted his brother, the village administrator.
The youngest brother of the victim, U Aung Aung, told Narinjara that his brother had fallen onto the ground and became unconscious as he was assaulted by ten soldiers led by the second commander of the battalion.
“I was also punched and kicked by the soldiers when I tried to hold my brother requesting that they stop their attacks on him because I could not stand seeing him lying unconscious on the ground and still being kicked by them. After the venerable monk came down from his monastery, the soldiers stopped beating us and held us, tying us with rope. They later released us upon the request of the monk”, said U Aung Aung.
He said his eldest brother U Aung Swe has sustained serious injuries from the assault but he could be sent to the hospital on Sunday’s morning.
“It is necessary to get police approval to send an injured person to the hospital here. So, we have to file a case with the police station for him. He was then discharged from the hospital today (on Tuesday) with his injuries uncured because the battalion commander threatened my family members for filing a case against him in the police station”, he added.
When asked about his conditions after he left the hospital, U Aung Swe said:
“I am still in pain and my injuries are not cured yet. I had to leave from the hospital because I fear that they (the soldiers) may come to the hospital to make more problems for me. I had not done anything wrong to them. I had just tried to mediate their problem with my younger brother Aung Win Swe who is the village administrator. Then, I was first punched by the battalion commander. When I had fallen down to the ground, his soldiers continually beat me with their fists and kicked me with their boots. I felt I was almost dead. When my youngest brother Aung Aung came to hold me, they continued their attacks on him. His face is still in black and blue as well”, said U Aung Swe.
U Aung Swe said he filed the case at the Police Station No. 1 in Sittwe, but no action has so far been taken by the police. He and his youngest brother Aung Aung do not dare go back to their village as the commander has threatened their family members.
http://www.narinjara.com/main/index.php/village-administrators-brother-hospitalized-after-torture/
