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). Local residents stated that Thawbita had only been ordained as a novice monk for about two months before his abduction.
Similarly, in Ward 6 of Minhla Town, military council troops forcibly recruited nine young people. On March 18, at the May Restaurant in Ward 6 of Minhla, military troops arrested six waiters over a dispute about alcohol service. The restaurant owner had to pay 20 million kyats to secure their release. Additionally, two Hindu brothers who were relatives of Ward Administrator Bun Toe were arrested for failing to show tax receipts for their scrap metal trading business. They were later released after paying 5 million kyats.
A resident from North New Town Street 4 in Ward 6 of Minhla was also detained 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. The military council has also posted warnings in front of the General Administration Office in Minhla Town prohibiting travel between 11 PM and 3 AM. These arbitrary arrests and restrictions by the military council have caused significant fear and security concerns among local residents, who now live in constant anxiety about their daily safety and freedom of movement.
