Administrators: No accountability for young men arrested at night

January 8, 2025

HURFOM: In Chaung Zone Township, Mon State, the village and ward administrators have informed the community they will not be accountable for local young men who are arbitrarily arrested at night, by junta forces and who subsequently disappear.

Villagers report that local authorities are organizing music or dance shows and gambling events late at night in order to attract young men. The junta then arbitrarily arrests the young men and forces them to join the military service,

“They’re organizing festivals, especially gambling events. The young men are going to the music shows. Then they arrested those who came late at night,” said a Chaung Zone resident.

Administrators have been extorting money from the villagers to hire substitutes who will take the place of local identified conscripts. Now, they add, that they will not be accountable for those who are arrested and conscripted into military service. This new development is adding yet more uncertainty and fear amongst the community.

“The Administrators said they will take no action for disappearances that occur at night. At the same time, they extort money from every house to hire conscripts. Every villager has to pay the money. But there is no accountability from them,” said another resident.

Young men arrested at night have to pay a ransom of million MMK for their release but those who cannot afford the payment are forced into military conscription. Now, no one is willing to work as a substitute conscript, as a result the junta is increasingly conducting arbitrary night arrests to collect conscripts.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News