By Zwe Ko /MPA
In the western townships of the Bago Region, the military’s arbitrary abduction of civilians traveling on the roads prompted the streets to become less crowded with shops shut down, according to local sources.
Since August 15, 2024, junta soldiers have been abducting and forcibly recruiting people in the streets, leading to a decline in public activity in towns across western Bago, according to a grocery store owner from Thayarwaddy.
“The arrests have gotten worse. They (the military) are now stopping and arresting people at the town’s entrances and exits, patrolling with civilian vehicles, and particularly targeting young men in the streets. As a result, men no longer come to town. Only women come when necessary. The streets are empty, and it’s worse in the evenings. With fewer people around, shops aren’t selling well and have started closing earlier in the afternoon,” the source said.
Moreover, local people are terrified due to ongoing battles, in addition to the military’s arrests, forcing many businesses to close, according to a male restaurant owner from Letpadan Township.
“Yesterday, there was fighting near Yengan. Everyone was terrified, thinking it was a town-capturing battle. People were locking their doors and preparing to flee. Market vendors only sell in the early morning and close soon after,” the source explained.
A tea shop owner in Okpho Township mentioned that due to the arrests of young people, tea shops and restaurants are experiencing a decline in sales, and many are now forced to close.
“There are still early morning buyers for fresh goods like green groceries and meat, but mostly men used to come to my tea shop. Now, no one is coming, and we’re not selling at all. Only a few elderly people come to town, and the situation is even worse for alcohol and beer shops, which mostly rely on evening customers. The streets are empty at night, and this has been going on for about ten days. If it continues, we will have to close the shop,” the owner said.
Because of these incidents, even clinics in western Bago townships are shutting down, making it difficult for sick people to get medical care, according to a 50-year-old woman from Minhla Township.
“Recently, in the evening, they arrested two young boys who were playing cane ball. They confiscated the motorcycles of those who escaped. By around 2 or 3 PM, all the shops were closed, including the clinics, which is causing more hardship for those needing medical treatment,” she said.
Regarding the junta’s arbitrary arrests of civilians, pro-military outlets like “Pauk Ko Taw” and “Mapu Tu” have claimed that the military is conducting illegal detentions, forced recruitment, and conscription including extortion of money. However, junta-run Myawaddy News has dismissed such allegations, labeling them as false reports by the media.
In addition to the arrests and forced conscription of young men, there is also growing pressure on men aged 35 to 65 to join militia groups in the guise of defending their neighborhoods and villages.
Due to rumors of an impending town-capturing battle by resistance forces in western Bago townships, the military has increased security, including tighter overnight guest list submission checks and intensified patrolling in villages, according to the local reports.
On August 24, the military, despite tightened security measures, conducted a clearance operation in Bago Mountain Range, which led to a skirmish by resistance forces. The National Unity Government’s (NUG) Ministry of Defense reported that more than 20 junta soldiers were killed, and 10 were captured during the clashes.