Two women, witnesses to the murder of Fr. Donald Martin Yeing Win, which occurred in Myanmar last week, narrated how the priest “faced without fear” the 10 armed men who would later take his life.
In statements for the FIDES Pontifical Agencythese two witnesses – who work as teachers and collaborators of the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, in the town of Kangyi Taw – said that when the militiamen, “in obvious state of drunkenness or under the effects of drugs,” they found With Father Martin ordered him to kneel.
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“I only kneel before God,” the priest replied serenity to the leader of armed men. And he proceeded to ask you: “What can I do for you? Is there any matter we can talk about?
Immediately one of the men hit P. Martin in the back with a dagger, but in the event he also hit the squad group. This, blinded by anger because of the response given by the presbyter, began to hit him “repeated and brutally in the body and throat.”
Father Martin did not complain, “as a lamb taken to the slaughterhouse,” witnesses tell. “Donald did not pronounce a word or a groan. He suffered meaningless violence without reacting, as an innocent man, ”says Fides.
“The other men stared at how the murder was committed (…) Once the crime was consummated, the group of men moved away,” adds the Pontifical Agency. The villagers, “in the midst of shock and crying,” they collected, washed and honored the body of the priest.
The testimony of both women, explains Fides, was recorded and sent to the Government of Myanmar, who said he was “deeply saddened by the murder of the parish priest Donald Martin de Mandalay” and promised to “punish the authors of the murder in accordance with the law ”
The security forces reported on the arrest of 10 suspects, which ensure they belong to “a local defense group.”
“Since it is known that they are Armed Forces, the Government of National Unity and the Ministry of Defense will undertake legal actions applying the law provided for the military,” explain the authorities of the Asian country.
“The National Unity Government strongly condemns attacks against civilians, including religious leaders, by any organization,” said the local regime.
Andrés Henríquez
I am a writer for ACI Press and correspondent of EWTN since 2023. Since then, I cover events of the Catholic Church in Venezuela and in Latin America. I have more than 5 years of experience in bilingual media. In addition, in Venezuela I have worked with non -governmental organizations for freedom and respect for human rights in the country. I am a member of the Regnum Christi Federation since 2014.