In Hlaing Tharyar Township’s Ward 4, Ward Administrator Aung Kyaw Moe is reportedly forcing residents to participate in preparations for the military council’s sham election. Letters have been distributed to every household announcing mandatory attendance at an electronic voting machine practice session scheduled for September 4th at the City Swimming Pool. The practice session is particularly being enforced for residents of the FMI housing complex, with the administrator insisting on compulsory attendance for what they claim is election preparation training.
According to residents, Ward Administrator Aung Kyaw Moe has been extremely aggressive in promoting the election, forcing people to attend practice sessions regardless of their willingness to vote. The notification letters emphasize mandatory attendance by repeating the word ‘compulsory’ twice, demonstrating the coercive nature of the mobilization. Residents of the FMI complex report that they are being pressured not only to attend the practice sessions but also to vote on election day, regardless of their personal choices.
Furthermore, the Ward 4 Administrator has been accused of employing thugs as enforcers to extort money from civilians. Under the guise of military service fees, households are being forced to pay tens of millions of kyats. The administration is also reportedly collecting daily fees ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 kyats from basic laborers working within the FMI complex. Wealthy residents are particularly targeted with various pretexts for monetary demands, creating a systematic pattern of extortion throughout the ward.
The Ward Administrator and his associates are also actively participating in forced recruitment efforts for the military in Hlaing Tharyar Township. Working in conjunction with Pyu Saw Htee members, military personnel, and police forces, they are involved in the arrest of young people for forced porter service. Local residents report living in fear due to these oppressive practices, facing daily harassment and restrictions on their basic freedoms. The situation has created an atmosphere of constant intimidation and economic hardship for the civilian population, who must navigate these various forms of exploitation while trying to maintain their daily lives.
