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, soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee members arrived in vehicles at the Football Field Monastery in San Shwe Tan Ward, Thonze Town, Thayarwaddy Township, and forcibly took away 17-year-old novice monk Thawbita (also known as Maung Thet Paing Ye). Local residents stated that Thawbita had only been ordained as a novice monk for about two months when he was taken.
Similarly, in Ward 6 of Minhla Town, military council troops forcibly recruited 9 young people. On March 18, military soldiers visited May Restaurant in Ward 6 of Minhla Town. When they were denied alcohol service, they arrested 6 waiters. The restaurant owner had to pay 20 million kyats to secure their release. Additionally, two Hindu brothers who were nephews of the Ward 6 administrator were arrested for failing to show tax receipts for their scrap metal business. They were released after paying 5 million kyats in ransom. The military council’s practice of arbitrary arrests and demanding ransom has become increasingly common in the area.
A resident from North New Town Street 4 in Ward 6 of Minhla was also arrested by military council troops near Kauk Kwe Tan village while returning from Sha Pin Kwe village where he had gone for business related to beans and rice. Furthermore, the military council troops have posted warnings prohibiting travel in front of the General Administration Office in Minhla Town between 11 PM and 3 AM. Local sources indicate that the military council is systematically targeting civilians for forced recruitment and extortion through various pretexts, arrests, and intimidation tactics. These actions reflect the ongoing pattern of oppression against civilians by the military council in the region.
