KUALA LUMPUR: The International human rights watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Malaysian government to prioritise investigation into the abduction of Myanmar refugee activist Thuzar Maung and her family from their home here.
Thuzar Maung, 46; her husband, Saw Than Tin Win, 43; their daughter, Poeh Khing Maung, 16; and sons Aung Myint Maung, 21, and Thukha Maung, 17, were abducted from their residence in Ampang Jaya here about 4.30pm on July 4.
Based on reports from witnesses and CCTV footage, unidentified men posing as policemen had abducted the family after entering the gated community residence.
Thuzar Maung, also known as Thu Zar Moung, is an outspoken supporter of Myanmar's pro-democracy movement.
In a statement released today, HRW said it feared Thuzar Maung and her family were abducted in a planned operation and are at grave risk
Asia director at Human Rights Watch, Elaine Pearson said the Malaysian government should urgently act to locate the family and ensure their safety.
"A car entered the gated community where the family lives.
"The driver told the security guards they were police. Two hours later, Thuzar Maung was on the phone with a friend, who heard her yell to her husband that unknown men were entering the house, before being disconnected.
"At about 7.10 pm the same car and the two cars owned by Thuzar Maung's family were seen leaving the compound," she said, adding Thuzar Maung's phone and the phones of her husband and children were immediately turned off, as no calls have gone through since.
She said CCTV footage at the guard booth captured the license plate of the alleged police car, which Malaysian police have since identified as fake.
The footage also captured a black-gloved hand of the driver of one of Thuzar Maung's cars holding out the gate card to exit the compound.
HRW said vehicle logs show that the same car had entered the gated community on June 19 and Thuzar Maung's colleagues who entered the house on July 5 said there were no signs of robbery.
Thuzar Maung is a long-time advocate for democracy in Myanmar and refugee and migrant rights in Malaysia.
She serves as chair of the Myanmar Muslim Refugee Community and Myanmar Migrant Workers Committee and has worked closely with Myanmar's opposition National Unity Government.
She has over 93,000 followers on Facebook, where she posts criticism of abuses by Myanmar's junta, which took power after a February 1, 2021 military coup.
HRW said the victim's friends and colleagues expressed concern that she was targeted for her activism.
Thuzar Maung fled Myanmar for Malaysia in 2015 to escape growing violence against Muslims. All five family members are recognized by the United Nations Refugee Agency as refugees in Malaysia.
Pearson said the authorities should quickly uncover the location of this family.
"Myanmar activists are apparently at risk even when they criticise the military junta from a country where they have sought asylum," she added.
The New Straits Times (NST) is attempting to get police updates on the case.
