Junta Prepares for Sham Elections in Mon State by Deploying Paramilitary Units and Expanding Surveillance

June 25, 2025

HURFOM: In preparation for the junta’s proposed sham election later this year, the military authorities have begun deploying paramilitary forces under the banner of “Public Security and Anti-Terrorism Squads” to polling station sites across Mon State. According to local sources close to township administration committees, these squads are being mobilized according to population size and township needs, with assignments coordinated at the district level.

These squads, officially announced by the junta on 16 August 2024, are largely composed of male recruits aged between 35 and 65. They reportedly undergo a one-month basic training and are deployed in groups of around 100 per township. In past elections, special police forces were deployed around polling stations, but this year, civilians trained by the junta are being stationed at every polling station—at least two per station—with additional support from police and military forces outside.

“In the past, we saw special security forces as well as the police at polling sites. Now it will be the civilians in blue uniforms. They’ve been trained for just a month, and now they will be guarding polling stations,” said a source close to the Ye Township Administration Committee.

Locals in Paung Township reported that junta authorities have already divided duties among these units for polling station security, urban checkpoints, and even for patrolling unregistered vehicles. Each member reportedly receives a daily allowance of 6,800 kyats and wears an official blue uniform.

“They’re everywhere—at toll gates and checkpoints, in front of government offices, even at intersections. There are about 50 people in one group. Most of them are not professionals; they’re just desperate or jobless locals. And the junta plans to use them when the election starts,” said a resident of Paung Township, Mon State.

In addition to these militarized preparations, HURFOM has also documented the junta’s ongoing efforts to upgrade its surveillance apparatus in Mon State. This includes the continued rollout of the Pan Khin e-ID project, now at Phase 3, which issues digital identity cards embedded with QR codes and 10-digit Unique Identification Numbers. These IDs are gradually replacing the traditional Citizen Scrutiny Cards (NRCs), and data collection has reportedly included biometric details.

The junta’s goal appears to be the creation of a centralized digital population registry, allowing real-time tracking of citizens’ movements and background screenings. Since early 2023, similar systems have been used at airports and passport offices to arrest suspected anti-junta activists and Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) participants. Recently, these database checks have expanded to highway checkpoints, tightening control on internal travel.

“Local people are already feeling the pressure,” said a civil society member in Mawlamyine. “These surveillance systems, paired with armed checkpoints and election-related mobilization, create fear. Even a simple trip to town feels risky if your name or ID is flagged.”

In rural villages marked as “target locations” for election preparation, residents report the presence of at least 40 Public Security Force members per village, many of whom carry weapons or conduct patrols with police and military support. Meanwhile, everyday crimes like theft and drug abuse are reportedly being ignored, with the junta’s focus placed squarely on securing polling areas and suppressing dissent.

Sources close to political parties estimate that by the end of 2024, over 10,000 people across the country will have completed the junta’s so-called public security and anti-terrorism training programs. In Mon State, villagers are being told that mock elections will be held on June 29–30, and that voter registration, security drills, and training for local election officials are currently underway.

“This is not about a real election. It’s about control,” one local rights observer said. “The junta is trying to legitimize itself through force, fear, and fabricated participation. But the people are not blind to this.”

HURFOM will continue monitoring and reporting on the junta’s coercive tactics and sham electoral plans in Mon State and beyond.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News