Prominent Christian church leader and human rights advocate, the Rev. Hkalam Samson, was detained by authorities in Myanmar just hours after being released from prison under an amnesty by the military government. Samson, who is from the Kachin ethnic minority, was among the 3,300 prisoners released nationwide to mark the traditional Thingyan New Year holiday. He is the former head of the Kachin Baptist Convention and chairman of the Kachin National Consultative Assembly, which advocates for Kachin rights and autonomy from Myanmar’s central government. Kachin state has been the scene of conflict between the army and Kachin guerrillas for decades.
After being released from prison, Samson was taken away by security forces and officials from his home in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state, around 10 p.m. on Wednesday. His family and friends were initially told that he was being taken for his safety, but there has been no further information provided about his whereabouts or well-being. Samson’s wife and another individual were also taken along with him to Myitkyina prison, where Samson had been held for 16 months before his release under the amnesty.
Samson is a vocal advocate for the human rights of ethnic and religious minorities in Myanmar and has been critical of the military’s treatment of ethnic minorities. He was previously detained in December 2022 and was sentenced to a six-year prison term in April last year on charges related to unlawful association, incitement, and counter-terrorism. Christians make up about 6% of Myanmar’s population, with a significant population residing in Kachin state. Human rights groups have reported persecution of minority religions, including Christians, since the military takeover in 2021.
In a separate incident, another Baptist pastor from the Kachin Baptist Convention, Nammye Hkun Jaw Li, was shot dead at the computer shop where he worked in Mogaung township in Kachin. Li was known for his involvement in protests against the military and was a community religious leader. He was also active in a grassroots anti-drug organization called Pat Jasan, which has been accused of using violence in its drug eradication activities. The production and trafficking of drugs, particularly methamphetamine, have been prevalent in the region where Kachin borders Laos and Thailand.
The military government in Myanmar recently announced that Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s former leader, has been moved from prison to house arrest as a health measure due to a heat wave. Suu Kyi, along with the former president of her ousted government, Win Myint, were among elderly and infirm prisoners moved to house arrest due to the extreme heat. The military spokesperson cited concerns for their well-being during the heat wave as the reason for the decision. The situation in Myanmar remains volatile, with ongoing conflict between the military government and various ethnic minority groups and pro-democracy fighters.
