A military official from the Tatmadaw claimed on May 28 that he is acting on his own in charging three Kachin activists for defamation without receiving instruction from the Tatmadaw, according to the activists’ lawyer.
Lt-Col Myo Min Oo from the Tatmadaw’s Northern Command has filed charges against three officials from a committee leading the movement to free the trapped residents - Ko Lum Zawng, Ko Zau Jat, and Daw Nang Pu - under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defaming the Tatmadaw during a press conference on rescuing the trapped residents.
“What’s remarkable about this court hearing is that he (the plaintiff) testified that he was not filing the charges to represent the Tatmadaw and he was suing them as military personnel for defaming the Tatmadaw. He said he has not received an instruction from the Tatmadaw and he has filed the charges [against the activists] as an individual for defaming the Tatmadaw,” said Daw Dwe Bu, an advocate representing the activists.
The activists have been charged with defamation after they demanded the Tatmadaw to rescue the displaced residents who have been trapped due to the fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).
“He said he doesn’t know the area where the fighting took place. He doesn’t know the ground situation. He doesn’t know the current situations of the IDP camps. He only filed the charges based on a report on the press conference, which was submitted by the information team to the Tatmadaw,” lawyer Daw Dwe Bu said about Lt-Col Myo Min Oo’s testimony during the court hearing on May 28.
Daw Nan Pu explained that the three activists have been charged for the Kachin youth movement's statements, photos, and word usages during the press conference on May 1. They have been accused of creating misunderstandings between civilians and Tatmadaw and making groundless accusations without knowing the ground situation.
The next court hearing has been scheduled for June 4.
Three court hearings have been held so far within this month.
Myitkyian Township Court ordered Ko Lum Zawng and Ma Sut Seng Htoi on May 9 to pay Ks 30,000 each as fine for holding a protest without permission after the Kachin youth movement held a peace rally to demand the authorities to rescue the displaced residents.
