In U Shit Pin City, Pantaung Township, Bago Region, Ward Administrator Aung Ko of Pyitawtha Ward is forcing local residents to cook meals for military troops on the frontlines. As the military council forces are reportedly starving during battles on the Bago Yoma mountain range, the ward administrator is compelling residents to take turns cooking meals by street and delivering them to the military through his office.
Using the excuse that military troops on the Bago Yoma frontlines only have preserved bamboo shoots and three dried fish to eat, Administrator Aung Ko is forcing ward residents to cook meals against their will. The cooked meals must be delivered to the administrator’s office, from where they are then sent to the military forces, according to local residents. The administrator has implemented a rotation system by street where civilians are required to provide forced labor by cooking meals.
The current fighting on the Bago Yoma mountain range is extremely intense, with heavy casualties reported on the military council’s side. Remaining military council troops are experiencing low morale, with many deserting or returning to rear areas without orders, according to sources. Due to these military setbacks, administrators, hundred-household heads and civilians in U Shit Pin City are being forced to organize meal packages by ward to create an appearance of public support for the military. The military council is using coercion to extract both labor and resources from the civilian population.
Additionally, military council affiliates and gamblers are collecting donations supposedly for the troops, including bottled water, soft drinks, dried fish, fermented fish paste, betel leaves, and dried noodles. Local residents report that the military council is systematically forcing civilians to provide unpaid labor while also extracting financial contributions through these various means. The situation highlights the ongoing oppression of civilians by military authorities who continue to demand support for their operations through coercive measures.
