In Thayarwady Township, Bago Region, the military forces have sent 47 young people who were arrested during the Thingyan festival period to military training school without notifying their families. Family members of the arrested youth confirmed this news. Starting from April 13, throughout the Thingyan festival period, the military forcibly arrested 47 young people from villages and wards within Thayarwady Township and detained them at the former Township General Administration Office. Subsequently, on April 19, they were sent to military training school without any notification to their families. It was also learned that the military demanded tens of millions of kyats from some families, claiming they would release the detained youth.
A family member of one of the arrested youth reported that the 47 young people who were forcibly arrested from villages and wards in Thayarwady Township were transported to military training school on the evening of April 19. When family members came to meet their relatives after hearing about the military training, they were denied access, and the youth were forcibly transported in three military vehicles to the training school.
Additionally, in Minhla Township, the military council troops raided Pattar Gyi village around 4 AM on April 18 and forcibly arrested Ko Myo Min Oo, Ko Ye Htet, and Ko Win Aung for military service. Around 8 AM on the same day, the military forces blocked the road at the eastern edge of Sintet Kon village and the western edge of Bogyoke Kon village in Minhla Township, conducting forced recruitment operations. As a result, one youth from Thanpin Kon village, Ko Ko Naing, Ko Nga Pyaung Gyi, and Ko Lin Lin from Bogyoke Kon village, Ko Way Htet, Ko Phoe Chit, and U Nyein’s son from Sintet Kon village, among others, totaling 8 youth, were arrested.
The military forces also raided Pan Taw village in Minhla Township around noon on April 18, arresting Ko Phoe Wai, Ko Japan Gyi, Ko Min Min Aung, and Ko Htun Htun. Furthermore, as the military continues to conduct raids and arrests in nearby villages including Karen One House village and Ma Seik Kyin village within the Sintet Kon village tract, young people can no longer safely stay in their homes and have been forced to flee, according to local residents.
