BANGKOK (AP) — A prominent Christian church leader and human rights advocate from Myanmar’s Kachin ethnic minority was detained by the authorities just hours after he was released from prison under an amnesty by the military government, a relative, a colleague and local media said Thursday.
The Rev. Hkalam Samson, former head of the Kachin Baptist Convention and chairman of the Kachin National Consultative Assembly, was among the 3,300 prisoners released nationwide on Wednesday to mark the traditional Thingyan New Year holiday. The assembly is an umbrella organization uniting religious and civil society groups with political organizations promoting Kachin rights, including autonomy from Myanmar’s central government.
Kachin state, in northern Myanmar, has been the scene of intermittent warfare for decades between the army and well-organized and -armed Kachin guerrillas.
9 facing charges in what Canada police say is biggest gold theft in country's history
Terrifying moment helicopter stalls out and crashed into Mexican mechanic shop killing three
Beijing confirms recovering tourism during New Year holiday
China's Wang goes top in ITTF world rankings
9 facing charges in what Canada police say is biggest gold theft in country's history
Ancelotti calls for courage, personality vs. Man City
Chongqing springs to life on summer nights
Cambodia plans to add 7 tangible, 3 intangible cultural properties to UNESCO's heritage listing: PM
Mama June admits she's now trying new weight loss drug after 'packing on' 130lbs
Game on for tourism bureaus across China after Harbin travel frenzy
Lebanon says Israeli agents likely killed Hezbollah
Mom, 28, forced to sell her dream car after forking out $40,000 in INTEREST alone over three years