NMSP member murdered by unknown gunman near Moulmein - Nai Min Naung
(IMNA) - A member of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) was shot and killed by an unknown gunman near Moulmein yesterday. Police are currently holding 18 million kyat and his motorbike, recovered from the scene.
At 3:45 pm on April 18th, Nai Min Naung was shot on the road between Pha-out and Yogo villages, in Mudon Township, 6 miles from Moulmein. He was returning to his home in Kamarwet village after retrieving money from Moulmein, Mon State’s capital city. The money was to be used to purchase rice for relief efforts in NMSP controlled areas.
“The gun man shot Nai Min Naung one time in his back and he died at the scene,” an NMSP member in Moulmein told IMNA. “His liver and heart were hit by the bullet.”
Police took Nai Min Maung’s body to the Moulmein hospital, and are holding his motorbike and the large sum of money. Local sources say
“The police guess the gun is made in Thailand. It is as kind of hand gun,” added the NMSP member.
IMNA could not confirm who killed Nai Min Naung, or why. Interestingly, the gunman did not take the large sum of money from Nai Min Naung’s body, although it is unclear whether the assailant stopped to search his body.
Rumors are also circulating that Nai Min Naung’s murder is related to recent conflict in the area between the NMSP and a Mon splinter group. At least one truck has been destroyed in the conflict, but IMNA has yet to confirm further details about the conflict or who leads the Mon splinter group.
Nai Min Naung was 40 and borned in Kamarwat village. He joined the NMSP in 1992 and worked with the NMSP as a township committee member in Tavoy district, Tenasserim Division and as secretary of Three Pagodas Pass Township, in Karen State.
Nai Min Naung was born in Kamawet Mudon Twinship and he was about 40 years old. He arrived at NMSP in 1992 and he worked with NMSP as township committe member in Tavoy district and secretary of Three Pagoda Pass township.
Following the NMSP’s recent party congress, he took a position working with a Mon relief organization, helping to provide aid to Mon people living in NMSP controlled territory. The NMSP controls a small amount of territory near Burma’s eastern border as terms of a 1995 ceasefire with Burma’s military government.
Nai Min Naung will be missed by friends and family. “Nai Min Naung was a hard working person,” said Nai Ouk Kar from a Mon organization in Mae Sot, Thailand. “He also encouraged youth in Mon society.”
“I am sad today because of the killing,” said another Mon NGO worker, this time in Sangkhlaburi, Thailand. “Nai Min Naung was my good friend. And he was very smart – he was good for Mon people. We need more people like him, but now he is dead.”
