International news agencies have prominently featured the military council’s arrest and accusation of a 6-year-old child as a suspect in connection with the shooting of retired Brigadier General Choe Thun Aung in Yangon’s Mayangone Township. The incident, which occurred on May 22, gained significant international attention after the military council announced on June 5 that they had arrested 16 suspects, including the young child.
Major international news organizations including Reuters, AP, and AFP have made this story their leading headline, particularly focusing on the military council’s inclusion of a 6-year-old child in their list of suspects. Brigadier General Choe Thun Aung was a significant figure in the military council and had received the Wunna Kyaw Htin title from military council leader Min Aung Hlaing in 2023. The shooting took place in front of his residence, carried out by the Golden Valley Warriors urban guerrilla forces.
The Yangon-based Golden Valley Warriors urban guerrilla group has confirmed their responsibility for targeting Brigadier General Choe Thun Aung while expressing sympathy for the innocent civilians and the child who have been wrongfully arrested by the military council. They have also confirmed that their members who participated in the operation are safe. The military council’s action of arresting and accusing an innocent child as a suspect not only reflects the breakdown of their legal system but also demonstrates their continued oppression of innocent civilians. This incident has drawn widespread international criticism and highlights the military council’s disregard for basic human rights and legal principles.
