Streets in towns and villages across Mon State have become increasingly quiet at night as residents avoid going outside amid fears of being forcibly taken for military service, according to local residents.
A Paung resident said military and local police personnel have been patrolling in vehicles and arresting young people even before curfew hours.
“About five police vehicles have been patrolling together. If they see someone after 11 p.m., they arrest them. This has been happening for about a week. Shops, including tea shops, are also closing. It is not only young people; no one dares to go outside anymore. By around 7 p.m., the streets are already quiet and there are hardly any motorcycles,” the resident said.
A woman from Thanbyuzayat said the town previously remained busy until around 9 p.m., but streets have become much quieter at night in recent days.
“Snack shops in town are closing early. The streets have been almost empty for three or four days. You can still see some people until around 9 p.m., but there are hardly any travelers anymore. Even when something is urgent, people are afraid to go out. The rubber-tapping season has not started yet, but when it does, people will have to worry about whether they might be taken away or have their motorcycles seized. We cannot fully trust the police either,” she said.
A plantation worker from Ka Mar Wet said residents are also afraid to travel during the daytime on isolated roads.
“Even going to work is frightening. Our plantation is beyond the Mudon 7 Mile area, and because we have to travel along an isolated road, we are afraid to go there even during the day to clear the plantation or cut grass,” he said.
A Paung resident said that in areas far from police stations, some people have reportedly been arrested by People’s Militia groups and later released after paying money. The resident also alleged that people who had not paid military service fees were sometimes handed over to local administrators in exchange for money.
Residents said young people are being arrested to meet military recruitment quotas and that money is also being demanded in connection with some arrests. Some ward administrators have warned young people to be cautious and avoid traveling at night.
At a Mon State parliament meeting on June 19, the military junta administration said action would be taken against those who illegally arrested people on the streets for military recruitment and demanded money. However, local residents said such practices continue.
For Mon State’s 28th military service training intake, 222 young people were reportedly recruited. Residents said many of them included people arrested for allegedly violating local orders as well as those who were forcibly taken for military service.
