Local residents report that people passing through military junta checkpoints in Ye and Thanbyuzayat townships are being arbitrarily punished without any reason.
According to local sources, travelers are often subjected to humiliating punishments such as being forced to squat, stand under the scorching sun for long periods, or carry bricks, sand, and stones around the checkpoint area after being questioned by junta personnel.
Around 1 p.m. on October 21, soldiers stationed at the No.19 Operation Command Headquarters in Ye Township reportedly forced about 100 people, including young men and women, to stand in the sun with their hands raised for several hours.
“They (the military junta) check ID cards, driver’s licenses, and vehicle documents. Even if everything is in order, they still punish people. They make them raise their hands under the hot sun for over two hours before letting them go,” said a local woman from Ye.
Among those punished that day, one middle-aged man was reportedly arrested and beaten by junta troops, sources said.
Locals also claim that soldiers extort money from travelers and punish them under false accusations of violating local orders.
“After they announced that two men are not allowed to ride a motorbike together, anyone caught doing so is punished. They make them carry sand or bricks near the checkpoint, whatever they want,” said a local man from Ye.
Due to these actions, many young people and traders now avoid passing through junta checkpoints and instead use back routes for travel.
Military checkpoints and security posts have been increased across southern Myanmar as the junta tries to tighten control and ensure elections can be held under its authority.
Local residents strongly condemn the arbitrary punishments and forced detentions of unarmed civilians, calling them acts of abuse and intimidation by the military junta.
