Presiding Monk of Shwe Kyin Monastery in Kyaukme Township, northern Shan State was killed still unidentified gunmen on the evening of October 5, sources said.

“Some people said they witnessed a motorcycle coming out from a byroad near the monastery before the incident but they are not sure how many people were riding on it. The monk was somewhere within the compound at that time. The gunmen entered in the monastery and shot the Monk multiple times. The monk was hit by seven bullets and sent to Kyaukme Hospital but died on the way,” said a local.

Rumours claim that the gunmen hail from Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA) signatories of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA).

Locals said the RCSS had requested the monk to mediate between fighting between them and forces of Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP/SSA) but he had declined their request as he didn’t want to interfere with matters between ethnic armed groups. Both parties allegedly got into an argument which led to the gunmen assassinating the head monk.

The Daily Eleven tried contacting the spokesperson of the RCSS on October 5 but no reply was made.

According to locals, the army and many ethnic armed groups operated in the area including Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the RCSS and the SSPP.

Moreover the TNLA and SSPP are allied. The RCSS either clashes with the aforementioned or forces of TNLA frequently in northern Shan State.

“It is true that the Presiding Monk of Shwe Kyin Monastery was killed and we are inquiring deeper about the case. We don’t have many details yet,” said an on-duty policeman from Kyaukme Township police station.

The 49-year old Monk is a Shan ethnic and founder of Nantkhone philanthropic association. There are over 200 novices and initiates in the monastery.