Ground Rush: Myanmar Set Free Seven Soldiers Involved in the 2017 Inn‑Din Tragedy
In a twist of fate, a handful of Myanmar soldiers who were part of a brutal 2017 campaign in Rakhine’s Inn Din village have been released early from prison. The story is as surreal as it is alarming: these men served less than a year of a ten‑year sentence and walked out on a bag of street food and cigarettes that other inmates simply couldn’t touch.
Who Are the Soldiers?
- Zin Paing Soe – A former soldier, now a free man, who posted a new Facebook page announcing his “new chapter” after a year of prison bars.
- Six other unnamed comrades, who spent a few months in detention before getting the boot.
According to two prisoners (both now out as of November), the men were “known around the camp,” having even been given special privileges by the army. Meanwhile, a senior prison official in Naypyitaw shrugged that the punishment was “reduced by the military,” but didn’t reveal the exact release date.
Why the Early Release?
Officially, the military claimed the soldiers had been “punished” for the 2017 killings, a point the army’s commander, General Min Aung Hlaing, used to support a broader narrative of accountability. He noted the “latest crime” had been a murder, and that “seven perpetrators” got ten years.
However, a former jailer at Sittwe Prison (former political activist Aung Than Wai) insists the soldiers were treated like VIPs: beer, cigarettes, and visits from high‑ranking army aides. The claim that they were “taken away in a military vehicle” in November adds a surreal layer to the whole saga.
What About the Rohingya?
In 2017, a 33rd Light Infantry Division and allied forces carried out a crackdown that forced roughly 730,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh. UN investigators described the assault as having “genocidal intent,” describing mass killings, gang rapes, and widespread arson. The Inn Din killings, involving 10 Rohingya men and boys, now lead the Myanmar government to claim they are “taking responsibility.”
Journalists and the Aftermath
- Two reporters, Wa Lone (33) and Kyaw Soe Oo (29), were jailed for 16 months on charges of “obtaining state secrets.” They were released in a May 6 amnesty.
- Later, four officers and three soldiers faced 10‑year sentences with hard labour, though details were opaque.
Despite these actions, issues remain: an ethnic Rakhine Buddhist villager (school teacher Tun Aye) is still serving a five‑year sentence for a murder linked to the Inn Din operation. Aung Suu Kyi praised the convictions, labeling them “the first step” toward accountability.
Meanwhile, “win Naing,” the Sittwe prison chief, said the soldiers had not been in prison for months. Militants Zaw Min Tun and Tun Nyi declined to comment.
Surprisingly, the Released Soldiers Are Just One Farce in a Larger Picture
In the story’s grand scheme, the early release of seven soldiers feels almost like a comedic aside. After being caught in the crossfire of a crackdown that caused devastation, a handful of them gained the freedom they never imagined until cutting through a thick fog of military politics.
As the world watches, a broader question persists: will Myanmar build a future where justice actually follows the clock? For now, the seven soldier‑turned‑street‑food lovers return to speak—if only to call out: “We’re finally out of here… and maybe my old Facebook profile gets the update it deserves.”
