Nine census collectors detained for over a month by the Launglon People’s Defense Force (PDF) in Tanintharyi Region’s Launglon Township were released on November 17, according to local sources.
The group, consisting of government employees conducting a population census, was detained on October 7 in Yebyu village under the pretext of questioning. The Launglon PDF later released them after requiring the detainees to sign pledges to join the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and refrain from cooperating with the military junta.
“They were made to pledge not to cooperate with the military junta and to join CDM. After that, they were released. That’s what their families shared,” said a local resident.
Some of the detainees reportedly faced health challenges without full access to medical care during their detention and were prohibited from contacting their families.
The situation in Launglon Township remains tense, with frequent detentions of civilians and junta-aligned officials by resistance groups and unidentified armed factions. Reports of enforced disappearances and unexplained deaths continue to rise.
Min Lwin Oo, a public relations officer from the Dawei District Strike Committee, emphasized the need for accountability, even within resistance-controlled areas.
“There have been numerous cases of civilians disappearing without a trace. Families don’t even know if their loved ones are alive or dead. These issues should not occur in areas controlled by the resistance. If they do happen, resistance forces must take responsibility and address them,” he said.
In a separate incident on October 9, eight census collectors, including a village administrator and a schoolteacher, were detained by an armed group while preparing to conduct a census in Thayetchaung Township’s Yantaung village.
According to the Rehmonnya Institute for Civic Engagement (RICE), at least 28 civilians were detained across Tanintharyi Region in October alone, primarily for military conscription or to serve as human shields.
