Forced Conscription and Extortion Drive Hopong Families into Debt in Southern Shan State

Burma News International (BNI) is a network of 15 independent media and news organizations based in and around Burma Residents in Hopong Township, southern Shan State, face severe financial distress and constant fear as both the Myanmar military junta and the allied Pa-O National Organization (PNO) extort monthly conscription fees while continuing arbitrary arrests and abductions. Despite paying mandatory levies of around 50,000 kyats per month—imposed even on empty properties—local families receive no official exemptions or documentation. Young people aged 18 to 34 remain exposed to street roundups, checkpoint searches, and forced recruitment. "We cut back on food just to pay the demanded fees," a resident said. "We are struggling to survive and falling deep into debt, yet there is still no guarantee of safety." September 21, 2026 — Residents in Hopong Township, southern Shan State, face severe financial distress and constant fear as both the Myanmar military junta and the allied Pa-O National Organization (PNO) extort monthly conscription fees while continuing arbitrary arrests and abductions. Extortion and recruitment threats have sparked a youth exodus, leaving farmlands untended and local livelihoods near collapse. In late February, junta troops abducted at least eight youths returning from work in downtown Hopong, releasing them only after families paid millions of kyats in ransom.