By Moe Nya / MPA
TAMU, Myanmar-India Border — Along the rugged border between Myanmar’s Sagaing Region and India, the sound of gunfire has been replaced by a more haunting noise: the persistent cries for justice from the families of 10 fallen resistance fighters.
It has been nearly ten months since May 14, 2025, when ten members of the Tamu District People’s Defense Team (PaKaPha) were captured and killed by India’s paramilitary force, the Assam Rifles. For the grieving families, the incident remains an unsolved puzzle, leaving them trapped in a cycle of trauma and unanswered questions.
A Fatal Relocation
The tragedy began on May 12, 2025, when the unit started relocating from their old base west of Kabargyi Village to a new position near the Indian border.
According to local sources, the move was reportedly coordinated in advance with Indian border security forces (Assam Rifles) by the Tamu District PaKaPha officer-in-charge, U Myint Naing Oo.
However, on May 14, the group was apprehended by the 1st Battalion of the Assam Rifles near New Samtal village, inside Indian territory.
While the Indian military officially claimed the deaths occurred during a “skirmish,” families and witnesses allege a far more brutal reality: that the men were detained, tortured, and summarily executed.
“It was a cold-blooded massacre,” said a fellow fighter who viewed the bodies after they were returned on May 16 at Khanpat. “They were executed one by one.”
Allegations of Coercion and Negligence
The National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar previously stated that when India returned the bodies, officials pressured them to sign documents claiming the fighters had entered India to launch attacks. They were also allegedly told not to oppose India’s ongoing border fencing project.
“Ten lives are not a small number,” said U Tun Wai, a family member of one of the victims. “There has been no compensation, no consolation.
They treated our sons like they were worth less than a household pet. It has been almost a year of total neglect.”
Internal tensions are also rising. Families and local informants are demanding accountability for the district commander, U Myint Naing Oo.
Allegations have surfaced that the fighters were sent to the border area not for military strategy, but to collect “taxes” from timber trucks heading into India—a claim that has fueled anger over the perceived mismanagement of lives.
The NUG’s Stance and the Diplomatic Silence
Investigations by the NUG suggest the fighters were lured into a trap using a middleman informant. The NUG has formally requested the Indian government to:
Conduct a transparent investigation and punish those responsible.
Provide fair compensation to the bereaved families.
Halt border fencing until bilateral agreements are reached.Despite these requests, nine months have passed without a formal response or action from New Delhi.
“The officials use their influence to cover up crimes for one another, while we are the ones putting our lives on the line,” a ground fighter told MPA.
While the NUG maintains that this incident does not reflect the official policy of the Indian government and seeks to remain “good neighbors,” they have warned that the lack of justice could complicate future cooperation and hurt the sentiments of the Myanmar people.
Deep Scars and Unanswered Letters
The human toll is devastating. Among the dead was an 18-year-old only son whose parents have since suffered severe mental and physical health declines.
“If our sons had died fighting the military junta, we would be proud families of heroes,” said the father of Ko Kaung, one of the deceased.
“But they were murdered while unarmed because of a leadership failure. We are grieving beyond words.”
In June 2025, the families sent a formal complaint to the NUG’s Acting President, Prime Minister, and Ministry of Defense. They accused district leadership of:
Withholding information: Families were not notified when the men went missing or when bodies were recovered.
Dishonesty: The commander allegedly lied to families, saying he knew nothing while he was already at the site.
Abuse of Power: Allegations of financial malpractice and disrespecting the dignity of the deceased on social media.As India continues to extend its border fence—reportedly encroaching 300 meters into areas near the Asian Highway—locals believe the killing of the 10 fighters was a strategic move to silence opposition to the project.
For the small border village, the fire of grief remains unextinguished. They continue to wait for a sign that the lives of their sons mattered to the government they serve and the neighbor they once trusted.
