Myanmar Community Living In Fear After Activist Family Disappear

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Activist Thuzar Maung (right) pictured with her husband had been vocal about human rights and the political situation in Myanmar prior to her disappearance on July 4. (Human Rights Watch pic)PETALING JAYA: The Myanmar refugee community is still in shock over the alleged abduction of activist Thuzar Maung and her family, fearing they may not be safe from “junta agents” operating in Malaysia, an activist said.
The whereabouts of Thuzar and her family are unknown following an apparent abduction from their home in Ampang Jaya on July 4.
Myanmar Ethnic Organisation advocate James Bawi said the community suspects that agents working for the country’s junta government were behind the kidnapping.
“We remind ourselves that we are not safe from persecution by the junta although we are in Malaysia,” Bawi, a good friend of Thuzar, said.
He believes Thuzar was targeted because she had been vocal about human rights and the political situation in Myanmar and due to her 93,000-strong following on Facebook.
Bawi said Thuzar’s friends suspect that she had been intimidated after comments she made during a recent Facebook Live appearance. However, no action was taken as they assumed that she would be safe in Malaysia.
Early this week, Human Rights Watch said Thuza, her husband Saw Than Tin Win, 43, and their children, Aung Myint Maung, 21, Thukha Maung, 17, and Poeh Khing Maung, 16, were abducted from their Ampang Jaya residence on July 4.
A group of unidentified men claiming to be police officers were reported to have entered the family’s home and abducted them. Police later confirmed that the registration number of a car used during the incident was fake.
On July 19, Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan told FMT that the case has been classified as one involving missing persons. - FMT

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