Junta arrested an oversea worker from Kyikemayaw Township at Yangon Airport

August 30, 2024

HURFOM: An overseas worker from Kyikemayaw Township, Mon State who was enroute to Singapore for work was arrested and detained by the military junta at the Yangon International Airport. His family has lost contact with him since the arrest.

“He was about to go to Singapore for work but was arrested at the airport. We don’t know why he was arrested and we don’t have contact with him. We also don’t know his whereabouts,” said one of his friends who is working in Singapore.

The military junta banned young men in the 23-35 age group for working or going abroad. Now, junta’s forces are stopping everyone who is holding a new passport and going abroad with “visit purpose”, according to the travel and tour agencies.

In the first week of August, another young man who planned to go to Singapore for work was arrested by the junta at the Yangon Airport and he has not been released as of today.

The junta has instructed that every overseas worker must apply for Oversea Worker Identification Card (OWIC) but banned young men in the 23-25 age range from applying for the card.

“One of my nephews planned to go abroad and I made an inquiry at agencies. They said it’s possible but we have to pay more money. Applying for OWIC cost about ten thousand MMK before, but now we must pay two or three million MMK to get the card,” said a man.

Since August 1st, 2024, at least 40 overseas workers have been stopped by the junta at the Yangon International Airport, some were arrested and detained.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News