China detains over 1,000 Myanmar nationals, hands them over to Myanmar, NDAA transfers conscription-eligible men to SAC

Mekong, July 29 Over 1,000 Myanmar nationals working in Jinghong city, China, have been detained by Chinese authorities and are being handed over to Myanmar through the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), according to sources. The Myanmar nationals handed over by the Chinese side are being received by the NDAA, and those eligible for military conscription are being transferred to SAC troops in Kengtung city, sources also said. "Some of my acquaintances are among those arrested. They were arrested and sent to Mong La, and from Mong La, they were sent to Kengtung, and a friend of mine has also been conscripted," said the source. Furthermore, it is understood that arrested girls are released by the NDAA, and others of different ethnicities are handed over to their respective organizations, the source said. "When I reconnected with my friend, he said that hundreds of people were sent to Kengtung, as far as he knows," he said. Starting from July 18, Chinese police have been accelerating the arrest of Myanmar workers, and over 1,000 people have been arrested and handed over as of yesterday. Currently, Chinese authorities are cracking down harshly on those without proper documentation on the Chinese side, and Myanmar nationals are living with caution. From July 18 to 26, China has sent back arrested Myanmar nationals to Myanmar's Mong La side six times, totaling over 1,000 people. Of the over 1,000 people returned, the NDAA has transferred hundreds of those eligible for military service to the SAC in Kengtung city. The news that the NDAA is transferring young people who have been returned to the SAC for military conscription has led to rising concerns among Myanmar youths working in China. "We are afraid of being arrested. We know that China does not officially allow Myanmar nationals to work there, so we are even more worried. We have also heard that if we are sent back, we will be transferred for conscription, so we are living with anxiety every day," said one person working in Jinghong city. Those who assist with labor affairs are trying to obtain legal work permits for Myanmar nationals in China, but the Chinese government has not yet granted permission. Due to working without permission, employers frequently fail to pay full wages to workers and engage in unfair exploitation. The NDAA has close ties with the SAC and is an organization that holds regular meetings. On July 23, the NDAA also arrested the responsible person for the Mandalay Region People's Administration Committee residing in Mong La and handed him over to the SAC. #MekongNews #MongLa #SAC #China #Jinghong #Conscription