By Kantarawaddy Times
Saturday, August 13, 2022
A prominent Kayan leader was gunned down by two unknown assailants while working on his farm in eastern Pekon town, southern Shan State on 11 August.
According to an anonymous source close to Khoon Francisco, the chair of the Kayan Literature and Cultural Association died after the killers, who came on a motorbike, shot three bullets into his chest. The cultural association has strongly condemned his assassination in a statement.
Khoon Francisco won the 2010 national elections under the military’s Union Solidarity and Development Party in Pekon Township. The former lawmaker was also the director of the Pyo Khin boarding school.
Khoon Bahan Htang, the deputy minister of the National Unity Government’s human rights ministry, has also condemned the assassination. ”Murdering people who’ve different political opinions and ideas isn’t a way to solve political problems. From a human rights perspective, this is simply brutal violence,” he said.
A youth asking for his name to remain confidential said: “He worked to protect Kayan literature, culture, religion affairs and for the development of Kayan region. Everybody knew him and everyone respected him. And we’re very sorry he was assassinated. It’s a huge loss for our Kayan people.”