Travelers forcibly arrested for conscription on Bago-Myawaddy road

Photo – A scene from a conscription training by the military junta. It has been reported that travelers passing through the highway between Bago city and Myawaddy city in Kayin State are being forcibly arrested and taken for conscription under the leadership of the Bago District General Administration Department. By Han Htoo Zaw Mizzima. The highway between Bago city and Myawaddy city in Kayin State is seeing travelers being forcibly arrested and taken for conscription under the leadership of the Bago District General Administration Department, according to reports. According to drivers of passenger vehicles, the Bago District General Administration Department has forcibly arrested and taken away travelers in this manner more than 10 times during the month of June. One individual who escaped the incident said that on June 15, a passenger vehicle traveling from Yangon to Myawaddy was stopped and its occupants were arrested. "Near the exit of Bago city, just before getting onto the Asian Highway, we were stopped not by a checkpoint, but by military vehicles and police cars, and arrested. Primarily, three officials from the General Administration Department took our ID cards and phones and searched us. Adult males were forced to unload their luggage from the car and taken with us," said Ko Lin (alias), who escaped. It is reported that three General Administration Department officials under the military junta, eight police officers, and two soldiers were involved in the arrests, with the General Administration Department officials leading the operation. It is said that besides Ko Lin and three other men who were taken from that vehicle, nearly 30 men from other vehicles were also put on vehicles and taken to a military recruitment compound under the command of the 22nd Division in Bago city. Among those taken away, individuals associated with the military junta were released, and some were released after paying money. It is also known that some were assisted by drivers and conductors to be brought back. "When we arrived at the military compound, I heard them calling superiors on the phone to report. Then, the person who said he was the highest-ranking official in the compound asked the General Administration Department official, 'How many people should I report? ' and was told to say 12 people. In reality, there were about 30 people. The rest seemed to be negotiating with money," said Ko Lin (alias), who escaped. Ko Lin was able to escape with the help of the drivers. According to eyewitness accounts, at the military recruitment compound where people were taken, General Administration Department officials and military junta soldiers were seen forming "drinking circles" and discussing the list of those arrested that day, celebrating their success. Another individual who was released, Ko Ye (alias), said, "My father is a government employee. When I told them my father's name and position and contacted him by phone, they released me. Many people were left inside. I cannot forget the faces of those who asked me for help. I couldn't do anything, so I consider myself lucky to have been released." Mizzima is still investigating to identify who led the arrests from the Bago District General Administration Department. In 2024, after the military junta began enforcing the Conscription Law, it has been opening conscription training centers across the country and increasing its efforts to recruit personnel. According to local residents and human rights observers, in recent months, there has been an increase in cases of people being arrested and taken away from their homes, workplaces, while walking on the street, and even from long-distance travel. There has also been an incident where a novice monk was forcibly arrested for conscription. The Bago-Myawaddy Asian Highway is a major trade and travel route connecting Myanmar and Thailand, and it is a busy road with a large number of travelers and cargo vehicles passing through daily. Local residents say that the continuous arrests on this route have raised concerns about the freedom of movement and security of civilians. Editor: Naung Naung The post Travelers forcibly arrested for conscription on Bago-Myawaddy road appeared first on BUR.MIZZIMA.COM.