On July 12th 2021, State Administration Council (SAC) troops[2] from Infantry Battalion (IB)[3] #60, which is based at Thee Boh army camp in Ler Doh Town, came to arrest a local villager: Saw C---, 40 years old, from A--- village, Htee Law Khee village tract,[4] Moo Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District. He was arrested for sending Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)[5] participants to the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[6] base, and on suspicion of making or using explosives. Since the coup, he has sent youths from the villages in both Karen National Union (KNU)[7]-controlled and mixed control areas to attend 10 days of basic military self-defence training at the local KNLA base. The group that was sent also included CDM participants. Saw C---‘s brother said that he does not believe that Saw C--- has been involved with explosives, adding that he thinks his brother may have been accused of that because he had attended basic military training in the past. Saw C---‘s family and friends could initially contact him after his arrest, but since July 17th 2021, no one has been able to contact him, and his family is worried.
According to an update from August 7th 2021, Saw C---’s family have been able to send food and medicine for him but cannot meet him in person. He is now in Toungoo Town prison. The original charges were modified, and he is now simply being charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code.[8] He is being kept with others who have been arrested and charged under this same section of the Penal Code, and thus remains separated from people charged with other types of crimes. The judiciary process is currently suspended [so there is no news of when he might appear in court or be released].[9] His brother is trying to obtain his release, and met with a police officer from Nant Thar Kwin village, but there is nothing more that the family can currently do.
On the evening of July 12th 2021, following the villager’s arrest, the local KNU authorities from Moo Township summoned the Htee Law Khee (Yay Leh) village administrator, Shit Thein, who was appointed by the State Administration Council (SAC).[10] They asked to meet with him on July 13th 2021 to question him about the arrest. The Ta Ma village tract secretary, who works on administrating taxation and other issues, summoned him two or three times but he [Shit Thein] did not go to meet with them. Therefore, on the night of July 16th 2021, KNLA Deputy Company Commander Saw Wah Loh; [KNU] Ta Ma village tract secretary, Pa Doh Saw Kwa La; and KNLA Platoon Commander Saw Kaw Hser went by motorbike to arrest the Htee Law Khee administrator, Shit Thein, in Htee Law Khee village, Htee Law Khee village tract, Moo Township. They were accompanied by two villagers. One of the villagers was from A--- village and the other was from D--- village [who joined the KNU village tract secretary and KNLA officers along the way]. On their way back [from A--- village heading to the KNLA army camp], they were met by two military trucks and 25 soldiers from SAC IB #60, led by Battalion Commander Zayar Lin, upon reaching Haw Hkoh Gaw and Ler Doh junction. This was at 8:30 pm. The SAC troops fired at them [the KNLA commanders, KNU village tract secretary and the villagers, including the SAC village administrator, Shit Thein]. [It is unknown whether the KNLA commanders shot back.] According to the villagers, the village administrator’s family informed the SAC that they [the KNU] were taking the village administrator to the KNLA base. The village administrator escaped during the shooting. [According to local reports, he also fled from the area the following day.] The KNLA commanders, KNU village tract secretary and one of the villagers were able to flee [the shooting], leaving behind their motorbikes at the junction. The other villager, Saw B---, 40 years old, from D--- village, was shot in the chest and died at around 11:00 pm. He is survived by his wife and five children. His wife has heart disease and regularly gets seizures, making it difficult to raise their children alone.
On July 20th 2021, the local leaders organised a funeral service and made a monument for Saw B--- in Maw Lay area, Plee Hta village tract, Moo Township. This monument claims that he is a martyr for his people, and that he fought for self-determination and the removal of the SAC from power.