According to local residents and a member of the Sagaing Urban Guerrilla Force, the military council troops have arrested members of the Nam Lwat Social Rescue Team, who were stationed at the Thudamma Dharma Hall in Poe Tan Ward, Sagaing City, while providing aid to earthquake victims. The incident occurred on the evening of July 8, when the Nam Lwat humanitarian group was actively engaged in various relief efforts, including free demolition of damaged houses, distribution of drinking water, construction of new homes, and building temporary shelters for earthquake-affected civilians.
During the raid, the military council not only arrested several members of the organization but also confiscated their humanitarian vehicles and rescue equipment. The exact reason for the arrests and the location where the detained members were taken remain unknown. Local sources indicate that the area is heavily controlled by the military council, with checkpoints, police stations, and administrative offices present. There had been a misconception among some that the Nam Lwat humanitarian group was affiliated with the military council’s organizations.
An underground revolutionary operating in Sagaing Township expressed surprise at the arrests, noting that the Nam Lwat humanitarian group was well-known in the region and had regular interactions with military council personnel. Attempts to gather more detailed information about the incident have been unsuccessful, as all contact numbers associated with the Nam Lwat humanitarian group are currently unreachable, with their phones switched off.
Additionally, the military council has destroyed the memorial stone commemorating the 30th anniversary of the 8888 Uprising, which was erected near the Thudamma Dharma Hall in Sagaing City during the National League for Democracy government’s administration in 2018. These actions – the arrest of humanitarian workers and the destruction of the historical memorial – can be viewed as part of the military council’s pattern of suppression against civil society organizations and civilians in the Sagaing region.
