Local residents have reported that the military forces have forcibly arrested nearly 20 young people as porters in Thayarwaddy and Oktwin Townships of Bago Region. On March 1st at around 8 PM, a group led by the ward administrator of Market Ward in Thayarwaddy Township, along with police and Pyu Saw Htee members from Thoneze Town, arrested Ko Ban Maw Thar from the ward as a porter. They also arrested another youth residing in Alaykon Taquin area on their way back.
On February 28th around 5 PM, military council troops arrived in a private vehicle at Thitsein Kone village in Oktwin Township and forcibly took three youths who were threshing beans and one 10th-grade student. The student, who was the son of a hundred-household head, was later released. On the same day around 6 PM, military council troops also arrested seven young people who were returning from basket weaving in U Toe village of Oktwin Township. Additionally, on February 27th, military forces forcibly recruited Ko Than Chaung and other youths living on Zetawun Street in Oktwin Town, claiming it was for military service.
In Yangon’s Mayangone Township, specifically in Hlaing 1 Ward on Myohaung 7th Street, the military-appointed administrator has been holding military service recruitment coordination meetings, demanding service fees, and pressuring families to recall youth who are abroad when their turn for military service comes. In Kawhmu Township’s Tataik village, the administrator and his associates are demanding 20,000 kyats per household for military service fees and forcibly collecting 100,000 kyats from households with members over 18 years old.
Similarly, in Kan Hla village of Pakokku Township in Magway Region, military-appointed administrator Htein Win has been forcing the entire village to either participate in a lottery for military service or pay 20,000 kyats per household. The village, which has approximately 500 households, is also experiencing issues with gambling dens operated by Pyusawhti leader Myint Kyaw and San Thaw’s group, who share profits with the military forces. These actions demonstrate the military council’s continued oppression of civilians and forced recruitment practices across multiple regions of Myanmar.
