Burma Army arrests 72 in drug rehab raid in Shan State
The Burma Army arrested 72 people at a drug rehabilitation facility in
northern Shan State’s Muse Township on Sunday, most of those arrested
were treatment centre patients, who stand accused of being involved in the
drug trade, according to treatment centre staff.
According to Sai Kwan, who worked as a volunteer at the centre in
Zerngtai village in Muse Township, the Burma Army’s Division 88 was the unit
that made the arrests. More than 50 soldiers were said to have been
involved in the arrests.
“At about 5 a.m. in the morning, the Burma Army came into the
centre and arrested 65 people and 7 staff” Sai Kwan said.
Those arrested included Sai Chit Ngwe, head of the rehabilitation
centre. Others arrested included Sai Sarm Bee, the headman of village
tract No. 3 and Sai Ai Aung, the headman of Zerngtai village tract.
“They accused the villagers of producing and trading drugs,” Sai Kwan
said.
“This center is a rehabilitation center. The people living here were
brought to treat their illness”, Sai Kwan explained. “We do not produce any
drugs. We only make paper“, he said. A reference to Ghost Money used in
traditional Chinese funerals.
The accused are being held in a prison in Muse Township. They
appeared before court on March 22. Further details of their court appearance
are not yet available.
Sai Chit Ngwe, the head of the rehabilitation centre who also serves as
the headman of a village known as Village 19, was detained but then eventually
released. He called for all the people picked up during the raid to be
released.
“They must release all of them,” he said. “I will not go home unless
they release them,” he explained.
The drug rehabilitation centre was established 16 years by Sai Chit
Ngwe. He established the centre with funds from villagers and
donors. The centre does not receive support from the government.
BY SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
Tags: Human Rights, News
