Namkham man killed for reasons unknown
A local resident
was shot dead by an unknown person or group in Namkham, northern Shan State, on
Wednesday afternoon.
Sai Sarng Khur,
54, was shot at around 3.30 p.m. while returning home from a ceremony in the
town for graduating high-school students, said an eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity because
of security concerns.
“Sai
Sarng Khur was shot near his house,” explained the eyewitness. “A man
approached and shot four times into his body while another man waited on a motorcycle. Then they drove away. Sai Sarng Khur
was rushed to Namkham Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.”
His neighbour, Ai Sai, told Shan
Herald that Sai Sarng Khur (also known as Sai Maung Hliang) had been an active
person, working tirelessly for the community, and was also involved with the Shan
Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) in Namkham Township.
Sai Yi Phoo, the SNLD deputy in
Namkham, said that Sai Sarng Khur was a good person, who was always dedicated to
social issues in the area.
“This kind of thing should not have
happened to him,” he said.
Nang Aye Yae, a Shan language
teacher, echoed the sentiment, noting that Sai Sarng Khur was active in Shan
culture and literature, and that he helped teach Shan language across the state.
However, it was also claimed that Sai
Sarng Khur had business connections with a local people’s
militia, which included dealings in logging and coal mining. According to his
neighbour, Sai Sarng Khur was also reputed to be involved with three armed
groups: the Shan State South (SSS); the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State
Army (SSPP/SSA); and the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army
(RCSS/SSA).
No suspects or direct motive for
Wednesday’s shooting have been determined. Shan
Herald has contacted Namkham authorities several
times for comment but did not receive a reply.
BY: Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
Tags: General, News
