Local residents report that the military council forces have forcibly recruited 18 young people, including a novice monk named Thawbita, for military service in Thonze and Minhla towns of Bago Region. On March 19 at approximately 10:30 AM, military council troops and Pyu Saw Htee members arrived in vehicles at the Football Field Monastery in San Shwe Tan Ward, Thonze Town, Thayarwady Township, where they forcibly took away 17-year-old novice monk Thawbita (also known as Maung Thet Paing Ye). The novice monk had only been ordained for about two months when he was taken.
In Minhla town, military council forces also forcibly recruited nine youths from Ward 6. On March 18, military troops visited May Restaurant in Ward 6 of Minhla town. When they were denied alcohol service, they arrested six waiters. The restaurant owner had to pay 20 million kyats to secure their release. Additionally, two Hindu brothers who were relatives of the Ward 6 administrator were arrested for failing to show tax receipts for their scrap metal trading business. They were released after paying 5 million kyats.
A resident from North New Town Street 4 in Ward 6 of Minhla was arrested by military council forces near Kauk Kwe Tan village while returning from Sha Pin Kwe village where he had gone for business related to beans and rice. The military council has also posted warnings in front of the Minhla Township General Administration Office prohibiting travel between 11 PM and 3 AM. These forcible recruitments and arbitrary arrests by the military council have caused significant fear and security concerns among local residents, who now live in constant anxiety about their daily safety.
