Myanmar Junta executes two journalists in Mon state raid

GUWAHATI: In a brutal crackdown, two journalists were reportedly among four individuals executed by Myanmar’s military junta during a raid on a house in Kyaikto Township, Mon State, on Wednesday.

The raid, conducted in the village of Lett Pya, was allegedly aimed at a residence suspected of harboring resistance fighters.

Among those killed were Ko Win Htut Oo, a reporter for the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), and freelance journalist Ko Htet Myat Thu.

According to sources, more than 20 soldiers stormed the home of Ko Htet Myat Thu, resulting in the deaths of two other individuals believed to be members of the Kyaikto Revolution Force (KRF), a local resistance group.

The elderly homeowner, Ko Htet Myat Thu’s grandmother, sustained severe injuries during the raid, while two others managed to escape.

A friend of Ko Htet Myat Thu shared with The Irrawaddy that the military did not return the bodies to the families, instead cremating them at Taunggalay cemetery on the same day.

Pro-junta Telegram channels claimed the operation was a "clearance mission," reportedly based on tips that KRF members were at the residence.

The channels asserted that the four people killed were KRF members who allegedly fired at the troops, leading to the confiscation of three pistols, 40 bullets, and four magazines.

However, local residents contradicted these claims, stating that there was no exchange of gunfire, and that the KRF members were unarmed, dressed in civilian clothes, and merely visiting the house.

Both Ko Htet Myat Thu and Ko Win Htut Oo were known for their coverage of the conflict in Mon State and the junta's atrocities against civilians.

They had faced numerous threats and were at constant risk of arrest or death due to their work.

"Ko Win Htut Oo was a deeply dedicated journalist," said Ma Khin Yupar of DVB.

"He always sought advice to ensure his reporting was unbiased, especially when working from liberated areas. He was a promising young journalist who was tragically killed when he returned to junta-controlled territory to continue his work."

Ko Win Htut Oo had actively participated in anti-military protests following the 2021 coup and was targeted by the junta with an arrest warrant.

He had begun contributing regular reports on Mon State for DVB last year.

Similarly, Ko Htet Myat Thu had been involved with local media outlets such as the Thanlyin Times since the coup.

In March 2021, he was shot in the leg by junta troops while photographing an anti-regime protest in Kyaikto, later spending six months in Kyaikto prison.

After his release, he continued his work as a freelance journalist, contributing to various mainstream media.

Since the 2021 military coup, over 170 media personnel have been arrested by the junta, with around 60 still imprisoned.

According to the Independent Press Council of Myanmar, at least seven journalists have been killed by the regime.

"It is a war crime," said Toe Zaw Latt, secretary of the Independent Press Council.

"The regime deliberately targeted and killed journalists in that house. We need more than just words of condemnation; it’s time for concrete, effective actions."