By Ma Ma - Jan 31, 2024

The residents from some wards of Shwe Pyi Thar Township said that there are civilian watchmen recruitments and extorting 5,000 kyats from those who don’t want to be. The junta is pressuring to do guest notification and to petrol on rotation since after the coup.

“They collect money unlabeled amount of money depending on us to build sentry post. And said that we have to petrol on rotation and give 5,000 kyats to the substitute if we can’t. When we ask the reason for patrolling, the warden said unclearly whether it is to prevent fire or due to the political situations,” said a resident.

There was an incident the Junta forces shot the civilian watchman to death after the 2021 coup in Shwe Pyi Thar, Yangon. Therefore, the residents are worrying upon the wardens recircuiting watchmen.

“We patrolled by each ward in the past. But the junta forces shot to death. So, we are scare. We worry if our family would meet them while patrolling. And they said we have to pay if we can’t go. So, it is not comfortable during these days while we are struggling even to fill our stomachs,” said a civilian. 

The junta usually arrested motorcycles and requisite three-wheelers under the pretext of security. People from Yangon are worrying about forming mandatory watchmen teams while there are recruitment by force to join military training in the villages in Bago Division.