More than 334 civilians were arrested by the military junta across Tanintharyi Region in March alone, with many reported missing, according to local sources and civil society groups.
Reports indicate that the junta has been detaining civilians under various pretexts across the region. In March, at least 134 residents from the townships of Dawei, Myeik, and Kawthaung were arrested. Additionally, nearly 200 out of 250 Myanmar migrant workers who were deported from Thailand during the same period were taken away for military conscription, according to a report from FE5 Tanintharyi.
Locals said the arrests were carried out during military patrols in villages, through guest registration checks in urban areas, and by targeting undocumented migrant workers deported from Thailand. Families and guardians of those detained have been unable to secure their release, an official from FE5 Tanintharyi reported.
“Villagers can do nothing but wait, hoping their relatives will be released. All we can do is keep waiting. People were taken in various ways, sometimes entire groups of men from a village are rounded up,” said the FE5 representative.
According to data collected by FE5 Tanintharyi, civilians arrested by the junta have been sent to dangerous assignments such as military operations, combat training camps, and naval bases.
The ongoing clashes between junta forces and resistance groups in Tanintharyi Region have worsened the security situation for civilians. Over 66,800 people have been displaced as a result of intensified fighting and airstrikes, the FE5 official added.
“This wave of arrests isn’t new. Throughout the periods of heavy fighting, the military has been arresting civilians whenever they enter villages. Sometimes they release them at the next village, sometimes they don’t. Civilians are never safe; they can be arrested at any time, for any reason or without any reason,” he said.
On April 25, an airstrike by junta forces in the eastern forests of Dawei Township killed one civilian and damaged several school buildings.
Local sources report that the junta’s coastal command has increasingly coordinated ground offensives with air support, particularly in Dawei Township, where daily airstrikes have been ongoing since April 19.
In March alone, Tanintharyi Region witnessed over 34 battles and at least five mine attacks, totaling more than 39 armed clashes.
Due to the junta’s continuous military offensives along major trade routes and deep-sea port areas, along with aerial and maritime attacks and mass arrests, displacement across the region has escalated significantly.
