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 by vehicle at the Football Field Monastery in San Shwe Tan Ward, Thonze Town, Thayarwady 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 before his abduction.
Similarly, in Ward 6 of Minhla Town, military council forces forcibly recruited nine young people. On March 18, military troops visited the May Restaurant in Ward 6 of Minhla Town to drink alcohol. When they were refused service, they arrested six waiters. The restaurant owner had to pay 20 million kyats to secure their release. Additionally, two Hindu brothers who are nephews of Ward 6 administrator Bun Toe were arrested for failing to show tax receipts for their scrap metal trading business. They were only released after paying 5 million kyats.
A resident from North New Town Street 4 in Ward 6 of Minhla was also arrested by military council forces near Kauk Kwe Tan village while returning from Sharpinkwe village where he had gone for business related to beans and rice. The military council has posted warnings in front of the General Administration Office in Minhla Town prohibiting travel between 11 PM and 3 AM. Local residents report that these arbitrary arrests, extortion, and forced recruitment for military service represent systematic abuse by military council forces against civilians. The pattern of targeting innocent civilians for monetary exploitation and forced service demonstrates the military council’s ongoing oppression of the local population.
