Forty workers from a 200-acre gold mine in Hngetpyawtaw village, Kyaikto Township, Mon State, were arrested by junta troops, with most reportedly forced into military training, according to local residents and a revolutionary group.
The raid took place around 10 a.m. on September 9, when about 100 junta soldiers surrounded the gold mine and detained the workers, claiming the mine was operating illegally.
According to a Kyaikto resident, nine elderly detainees were later released, while the remaining 31 young men were taken away for military training. Most of those arrested are migrant workers, though their identities are still being verified.
“They specifically targeted young men for forced conscription. They also seized some of the equipment,” said Ko Aye Min Tun, a leader of the Thaton District PDF.
The troops reportedly confiscated motorcycles, backhoes, gold, and other mining equipment before transferring the detainees from Kyaikto to the No. 9 Training Unit in Thaton Township.
The mine, located about 10 miles north of Kyaikto, is believed to be run by local businesspeople in cooperation with an armed group, though this has not been confirmed.
Residents said the site lies within Karen National Union (KNU) territory, where gold mines normally pay taxes to the KNU. However, junta forces still enter and conduct raids.
“Even though mines pay taxes to the KNU, it doesn’t mean they get real protection. The junta comes in, seizes equipment, or takes people for conscription. They have nothing to lose and just create trouble,” a local businessman explained.
Thaton District is home to nearly 500 gold mines, most reportedly under KNU control.
