By Mg Dagon / MPA
The Myanmar military junta has ramped up its crackdown on dissidents, revolutionaries, and their networks by leveraging the Chinese-developed Person Scrutinization and Monitoring System (PSMS), sources familiar with the matter reveal.
Revolutionaries and IT experts report that the Myanmar junta is intensifying its crackdown on dissent, deploying aerial bombings across the country and using ground-based tracking systems to eliminate armed resistance forces.
Ko Bo Bo Thant Zin, information officer for the Anyar Myay Coalition Force—a network of resistance groups in the Magway Region—explained, “This system has been in use for a long time with Huawei’s assistance, but its implementation has now expanded.”
He added that such monitoring operations are commonly conducted at military checkpoints in villages controlled by the junta and pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militias in the Magway Region.
“Junta troops routinely carry out arrests, imprisonment, and extortion just to find National League for Democracy (NLD) logos or images of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on people’s phones,” he said.
“If they discover evidence of support for the People’s Defense Force (PDF), communication with PDF members, or PDF-related images, they treat it as an unpardonable offense and act without restraint.”
Resistance groups, including the Anyar Myay Coalition Force, report that many have been arrested through the Person Scrutinization and Monitoring System (PSMS), though the exact number remains unknown.
The junta has widely deployed this Chinese-developed surveillance system at checkpoints along major roads and border crossings.
On March 11, 18 participants in the anti-junta Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) were arrested while crossing the Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge No. 1 into Thailand. They were identified through the PSMS system, which utilizes UID (Unique Identification) smart cards, according to sources.
Additionally, on Friday, a 27-year-old kindergarten teacher with an outstanding junta arrest warrant under Section 50(j) of the Counter-Terrorism Law was detained at a checkpoint near Kyay Kone Village in Kalaw Township, Shan State.
On the same day, a 27-year-old female gallery manager, also wanted under Section 50(j), was arrested at the Happy Holiday Inn in Ward 3 of Kalaw.
According to pro-junta media outlets, military forces also arrested Ko Swam Pyae Sone at the Ataran Bridge checkpoint in Mawlamyine, Mon State. He had an active arrest warrant from the Meiktila Police Station under the same charge.
In response to the junta’s growing surveillance measures, IT experts advise revolutionaries to avoid using smart cards and SIM cards whenever possible.
“Without a UID, travel is nearly impossible. You can’t go anywhere without it. While some people haven’t registered yet, avoiding it is becoming increasingly difficult,” an IT expert inside Myanmar explained.
“People are now taking extra precautions to avoid detection. Personally, I rarely go out anymore,” he added.
Many have resorted to using disconnected SIM cards to evade tracking via mobile payments and phone numbers.
“Wave Pay agents are being bypassed. Recently, people have been asked to write down their phone numbers when transferring money. Some are now using numbers they don’t actively use. They may have SIM cards, but they keep them disconnected,” the expert noted.
A Yangon resident in his 40s remarked that few in Myanmar can completely escape the junta’s surveillance, even those in liberated areas who still rely on SIM cards and internet access.
“Using a SIM card means you’re already in their system. Plus, there’s UID registration and the national census. Some people haven’t been arrested yet simply because the military hasn’t targeted them.”
“If they decide to track me, they can easily see where I go and what I do every day. With these new technologies, we have to be more cautious than ever,” he added.
The PSMS, developed with assistance from Chinese tech giant Huawei, enables the junta to track and monitor individuals with precision.
Utilizing artificial intelligence, facial recognition, CCTV analysis, and biometric data, the system grants authorities access to individuals’ private information.
To expand its reach, the junta has forcibly introduced Smart Cards (UIDs), making digital surveillance nearly inescapable.
