Family members of a man allegedly killed and buried by junta troops in Kalay, Sagaing Region, are afraid to file a lawsuit due to fear of retaliation, according to local sources.
“We haven’t heard of them filing a case. They are working-class people and not well-connected. They seem to fear that if they file charges, they will face various forms of retaliation,” a Kalay resident familiar with the incident told Mizzima.
The victim, Ko Ye Zaw (33 years old), a resident of Aung Thitsa Ward in Kalay who earned a living selling brooms on foot, went missing on June 12 after leaving his home to sell brooms in the town.
Following a search by his family, his buried body was exhumed on June 15 at the Pyin Thar Cemetery in Kalay. The body bore signs of torture alongside gunshot wounds to the temple and neck.
The resident noted that although the death was initially assumed to be an ordinary murder due to the physical injuries, locals concluded that junta troops committed the killing based on the two gunshot wounds and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“We haven’t heard of the military offering compensation or taking responsibility. This is their usual practice. Killing whoever they want and hiding the bodies is no longer unusual,” the Kalay resident added.
He further explained that after shooting civilians, junta forces typically justify their actions by claiming the victims failed to stop for security checks, fled inspection, or were members of underground (UG) groups or the People’s Defence Force (PDF). Consequently, bereaved families are too afraid to file cases or demand justice.
According to residents, since 2021, junta forces in Kalay Township have frequently cremated unidentifiable, severely disfigured bodies, often shot at close range from behind the head, at the Doe Wine Chaung Cemetery, a practice that continues to this day.
Ko Ye Zaw is survived by his wife and two young children. His family has already held the one-week memorial service.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), from the start of the military coup on 1 February 2021, to June 16, 2026, a total of 8,094 people have been killed by the junta and its affiliates, with approximately 5,000 of those deaths still requiring verification.
