The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) said it is concerned that despite ongoing brutality by the Myanmar Army, the international community and various United Nations bodies continue to engage with the regime.

HURFOM is a civil society organisation that monitors the situation in southeast Myanmar.

According to HURFOM, the number of people abducted by an unknown armed group in Tanintharyi Region’s Launglon Township has risen to seven in the last two months. Since their abduction, there has been no contact with or news from the abducted people and their current whereabouts are unknown.

In the most recent of these incidents, two young men were arrested by an unknown armed group on 14 September. Both of the victims, Ko Tauk Tauk and Ko Aung Naing Shein, worked for the Inn Zauk Village Funeral Charity Group.

According to reports, Ko Tauk Tauk was hit round the head by three armed men and taken away by them on a motorcycle at around 5:30 p.m. as he was buying betel nuts on his way home from work.

Like the other five abducted people, nothing has been heard about their fate.