Confusion surrounds the case of two Buddhist nuns accused by the Myanmar junta of involvement in a recent robbery of cash from an Ayeyawady Bank security van and alleged to have been found with weapons in their possession at their nunnery in Bago.
The two nuns are named as Daw Uppa Thamar and Daw Dhammasari.
In the press release of the junta: “According to the testimony of the robbers, arms/ammunitions and money in relation to the robbery were placed at the Dhammaduta Nunnery in Ward 8 of Ottha Myothit Township around 10:30 pm. In searching the abode, the two nuns were found with two AK-47s, four cabinets, 220 bullets, six MK-12s, 12 magazines, six related items, 14 polypropylene gunny sacks or PP bags of money, two halves of PP bags and nine small black plastic bags in their dining room.”
However, Mizzima’s investigative reporters found the name of one of the nuns, her abode and her address is incomplete and incorrect.
The 52-year-old Daw Uppa Thamar and the 44-year-old Daw Dhammasari are the two sisters residing at the Dhamma Dhuta Maggin Nan Oo Nunnery, which is an academic institution in Ward 5 of Ottha Myothit Township in Bago.
They are nieces of renowned Buddhist monk Professor Dr Ashin Cekinda who is the presiding monk of Dhamma Dhuta Jetawun Cekinda Rama Monastery in Hmawbi Township, Yangon Region. He is a brother of the two suspected nuns’ mother.
Daw Uppa Thamar has spent 24 years as a nun. She is a graduate of Mandalay University, and is a former school teacher in Sagaing Region.
Meanwhile, the other nun Daw Dhammasari was a well-known private home tuition teacher for science subjects for Grade 10 students in Htaukant and Hmawbi Township. She entered the nunhood when she was 28.
In regard to Daw Dhammasari, one of her devotees said, “She is a very outstanding nun in Buddhist treaties and passed any religious exams with high scores. She can identify the category of treaty as soon as she sees any religious verse.”
After entering the nun-hood, she learnt Buddhist treaties at the Dhamma Dhuta Monastery in Mon State. She completed the higher level, and learnt graduate courses.
“She was well-known for her excellent skills in Buddhist treaties among the monastic community. But she stays away from such popularity and she avoided the graduate exam,” said her devotee.
“She said that she wanted to avoid any mistake in writing Buddhist treaties, and even if she could write all the words correctly, she did not want any graduate award for religion,” the devotee added.
The junta announced that the two nuns were arrested around 10:30 pm on 13 September.
The locals said that they noticed the incident only when the two nuns were taken and they did not see anybody coming for the arrest.
“The soldiers said that the nuns were arrested allegedly in relation to the people’s defence forces, and the nunnery has been under PDF control,” the source added.
“A Hijet light truck covered with a cloth on the number plate was seen going into the nunnery compound,” a source claimed.
Mizzima found out that the two nuns are under arrest at the local battalion No.77 in Bago.
A report in junta’s mouthpiece Myanmar Alin newspaper on 14 September said that an investigation team on the case found the confiscated money was K3.885 billion.
The newspaper reported on 14 September that an additional K 55 million was also seized.
