Christian Pastor Missing for Three Weeks, Search Continues

The Dawei Myeik Karen Baptist Churches Association announced on August 3, that Saw Hae Khu, the 32-year-old pastor of Ahmyar village, went missing on July 12 while he was traveling on the road back to Myittar town, where his family resides.

The statement notes that there are various reports on social media regarding the pastor’s disappearance, but these reports are not yet confirmed. It urges people to pray for the missing pastor.

According to the investigation, Pastor Saw Hae Khu left for Ahmyar village and met members in Wartaw and Sinhpyutaing villages, then returned to Myittar town and went missing between Kani and Myittar, Dawei Myeik Karen Baptist Churches Association said in a statement.

On July 28, his wife, Naw Moo Bar, wrote a letter to KNU’s 4th Brigade of Myeik-Dawei District, urging an inquiry into the pastor’s disappearance. In response, KNU’s Myeik-Dawei District replied on August 1, confirming that an investigation was carried out. However, the pastor has not been located yet, and the KNU is committed to ongoing efforts in the investigation.

Padoh Saw Eh Nar, the secretary of KNU Myeik-Dawei District, mentioned, “The day he came back was the same day when Bo Eh Kwee group closed the road. (Bo Eh Kwee’s group is linked with the KTLA (Kawthoolei Army) .They chopped down trees and blocked the road. Our comrades had to clear the trees. We encountered Pastor Hae Khu, and our comrades assisted in moving other people’s motorcycles, including his. There is a Bo Eh Kwee group located in Kahli Sar Htar between Sel Thoo Nar and Myittar town along his return route. However our people (KNU) are no longer present there, and we lack information about that area.”

KNU Myeik-Dawei District also reported that on the same day, a vehicle transporting medicine to the K’Ser Doh township office from the KNU district health department was obstructed by vehicles near Khali Sar Htar, where Bo Eh Kwee’s group is present. The incident resulted in the shooting of the vehicle’s wheels.

While the KNU continues its investigation into the pastor’s disappearance , the KTLA has reported that the pastor’s body was discovered in an unspecified location along the Tanintharyi River. An official from KTLA conveyed this information to KIC.

The KTLA official responded,” The “KNU’s statement seems to be pointing fingers at us. However our people were not present at that location during that time. They didn’t want us to be on the road, so we stayed away. I inquired with Bo Eh Kwee’s leader who was at the closest to this area, an about the fatend he informed me that his body had been discovered. He mentioned that the body had turned up somewhere along the Tanintharyi River.”

It appear that this little-known Bo Eh Kwee group linked to the KTLA -a breakaway Karen military unit expelled from the KNU some years ago appears to have the most information about the fate of the missing Christian deacon.But no clear motive has emerged as why Bo Eh Kwee or any other Karen faction for this apparent abduction of missing Baptist deacon.

KIC-Karen news agency made efforts to reach out to the pastor’s family members regarding the reported recovery of his body, but they were unable to establish contact.