A military council-appointed village administrator in Theikhwa Chaung village tract, Letpadan Township, Bago Region, was killed in a shooting by resistance forces while he was at a gambling den. The incident occurred because he had been forcibly collecting military service fees from civilians. According to Ko Ko Aung, the commander of Shwetanmyay People’s Defense Force, the shooting took place around 11:50 AM on May 21, resulting in the immediate death of the administrator U Ohn Than.
The deceased administrator U Ohn Than had been reported by local residents for multiple oppressive actions against civilians, including abusing his authority, forcibly collecting military service fees, submitting names of people who couldn’t pay the military service fees to authorities for arrest, and facilitating gambling operations authorized by the military council. These actions prompted local residents to file complaints with revolutionary forces, leading to the targeted operation. The administrator’s behavior had been causing significant hardship for local residents who were already struggling under military council rule.
The operation was carried out by revolutionary forces from the Thayawady District PDF, No. 1 Strike Force (Shwetanmyay People’s Defense Force). The resistance fighters used a 9mm weapon to fire one shot to the head and another to the chest of the administrator. The operation was successfully completed with no casualties among the resistance forces, who managed to withdraw safely from the area. This action represented a response to the systematic oppression faced by civilians under the military council’s administration, where appointed local officials often serve as instruments of the junta’s repressive policies, particularly in the forced collection of funds and implementation of military council directives that burden the local population.
