By Mg Dagon / MPA
Junta forces and Pyu Saw Htee militias have escalated extortion in several townships across Mandalay Region, a refuge for many displaced people in central Myanmar. Residents report being coerced into paying money under various pretexts, even those not affected by the junta’s latest restrictions on mobile phones, which have blocked access to revolution-related content, VPNs, and Facebook.
A Mandalay resident in his 30s shared his close friend’s experience with MPA.
“The situation in Mandalay has worsened. No VPN and no Facebook mean you’re technically free from their restrictions. But junta troops still demand money from people under the guise of paying for tea,” he explained.
According to Mandalay residents, the extortion methods are similar, but the amounts vary from person to person.
“We hear about this all the time now,” another resident said. “There’s no fixed amount—they take more if you have more. Even if it’s money meant for essentials, they take it all.”
He added, “They even seize money meant for food and, in return, hand out fruit like bananas or watermelons that they’ve confiscated from vendors.”
Junta affiliates reportedly carry out these acts by stopping and inspecting people at both fixed and mobile checkpoints.
Since mid-2024, as offensives by ethnic armed groups have intensified in northern Shan and Kachin states, the number of displaced people seeking refuge in Mandalay has risen, leading to a spike in such incidents, residents say.
“With more displaced people coming into Mandalay, the extortion has gotten worse,” said a displaced man now living in the city. “The junta troops are so blatant about it that I can’t even put it into words. So, I’ve been staying home more often.”
These incidents are reportedly more severe in Mandalay’s townships controlled by junta troops and Pyu Saw Htee militias.
A woman in her 30s from Mandalay noted, “It’s rare in the city center, but rampant in industrial areas under Pyu Saw Htee control. I haven’t personally experienced it, but I’ve heard about it happening in Myo Thit, a Pyu Saw Htee stronghold.”
Currently, clashes continue between the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and junta troops in Nawnghkio Township, northern Shan State, near the Mandalay Region. Meanwhile, the People’s Defense Forces (PDF) are battling the military in Sagaing Region, and junta airstrikes and artillery shelling have forced many residents from these areas to seek refuge in Mandalay.
Additionally, people from Kachin State, including Bhamo Township, have also fled to Mandalay to escape Kachin Independence Army (KIA) offensives and junta airstrikes.
