Pro-democracy activists picked up by Myanmar Army from Moreh

Violating Indian territory, Myanmarese Army troops, aided by a Manipuri underground group, intruded into Moreh and abducted two Myanmarese pro-democracy activists the Moreh-based Burmese Solidarity Organisation has charged.

In a statement, the organisation said two of its members, identified as Chit Thein Tun and Maung Maung Oo were picked up by Myanmarese Army troops from its office located at Moreh on the night of January 14, and took them into Myanmarese territory.

According to the statement, at around 10 pm on January 14, some 25-30 armed persons, some of them speaking Manipuri, and others speaking Burmese, intruded into the office of the BSO and took all the persons present with them at gunpoint.

The pro-democracy activists were taken towards the Myanmarese side after crossing the border fencing, and along the way they were beaten brutally by the armed persons.

One of the activists, Naing Oo, however managed to escape from their hands when a sudden exchange of fire took place between Indian security forces and the armed group, the statement said.

The BSO said it has come to know that the activity was conducted by the Myanmarese Army aided by an armed revolutionary of Manipur, adding that it believes that its two activists are now in the hands of the Myanmarese Army deployed at Tamu.

It said a similar incident had taken place on January 7, when some armed persons who described themselves as members of a Manipur underground group took away Maung Maung Oo from the BSO office, and closely questioned him about who was responsible for the twin bomb blasts at Namphalong market on January 8. At that time, the pro-democracy activists had explained that the Myanmarese activists staying in Moreh were not involved.

The BSO strongly condemned the `cowardly act` of the Myanmarese Army in overpowering un-armed democratic activists with arms and creating misunderstandings between Burmese pro-democracy activists and local underground groups.

It further urged such groups not to cooperate with the Myanmarese Army in future, and appealed to all local people and the Indian authorities to protect the democratic forces of Myanmar from such kind of incidents.

It also asked the Myanmarese public and the international community to condemn such kind of inhuman acts by the Myanmarese Army.