On June 8, military council troops forcibly detained over 30 young people who were visiting the Thiho Shin Pagoda festival market in Pakokku, Magway Region. The incident occurred around 5 PM when military personnel suddenly surrounded and arrested the youths, leading to chaos and confrontation. When family members of the detained youth went to the police station to inquire about their children’s whereabouts, they were met with verbal abuse from military council soldiers and were forced to leave without any information about their loved ones.
Later that same evening, around 6 PM, military council troops also arrested and beat a young motorcyclist near Bogyoke Road Junction in Pakokku. According to eyewitnesses, all detained individuals were first taken to Infantry Division 101 in Pakokku, from where they are reportedly being prepared for transfer to other townships. This incident represents another example of the military council’s ongoing practice of forced conscription and labor, commonly known as porter service, where civilians are compelled to work for military operations against their will.
Local sources report that such targeted arrests of young people in crowded places like festival markets have become increasingly common. The detained youth are typically used by military council troops for non-combat operations, though some are sent to the frontlines. Most concerningly, many of these forcibly recruited young people often lose all contact with their families after being taken away. The military council’s practice of forcing civilians into porter service has been widely documented as a human rights violation, causing severe disruption to civilian lives and families throughout Myanmar.
