October 31, 2024
The Myanmar military allegedly shot and killed Kyaw Khine, a mentally ill resident of Kabu village, outside the administrative office in Laung Lone Township, Tanintharyi Region, before dressing him in a People’s Defense Force (PDF) uniform and photographing him. This incident was reported by Shay Doe, a spokesperson for the local People’s Defense Force (PDF) in Laung Lone Township.
According to reports, the incident occurred around 9:00 a.m. on October 31, when military personnel guarding the checkpoint outside the township office shot Kyaw Khine as he approached on a motorcycle. Kyaw Khine, who reportedly suffered from a mental illness, was shot by soldiers who claimed he breached the checkpoint barrier. Following his death, seven plainclothes soldiers exited the checkpoint and dressed Kyaw Khine’s body in a PDF uniform, allegedly taking photographs of him in the attire.
“At around 9:00 a.m. this morning, we learned that soldiers shot a civilian. This person was mentally ill, and when he approached on his motorcycle, they shot him down,” Shay Doe stated. “They then came out, dressed his body in a PDF uniform, took photos, and left his body by the roadside.”
Local sources allege that the military used the incident to stage images depicting Kyaw Khine as a PDF fighter, a strategy reportedly intended to portray resistance forces in a negative light.
