15 from Mandalay PDFs return home leaving insurgent life
876
NP News - June 16
Fifteen youths from seven townships of Mandalay Region who attended training camps of the People Defense Forces (PDF) but committed no major crime, and want to discontinue armed-insurgent courses were handed over to their parents by Tatmadaw on June 15.
The young men who undergo the UG movements now turn up returning to their parents’ homes following the announcement of invitation by the SAC urging the PDFs to abandon firearms.
On June 11, State Administration Council (SAC) released an invitation announcement urging various armed insurgent networks including the PDF to abandon armed resistance revolution and to undergo the legal fold so as to cooperate in the future activities of the country.
“They don’t want to continue the armed-insurgency. Parents also persuade them to give up. Again, they themselves do not want to see people dying because of them. That’s why they return to the fold of the law,” the man who assisted the youths in returning the legal fold in Mandalay told the NP News.
Central Command of the Defense Services welcomed the PDF-turned-civilians by inauguration and directly transferred them to their parents as they did not commit any of the major crimes. Parents of the fifteen pledge and take responsibility of them committing no more crimes, the statement said.
“Some parents came to the headquarters of the Central Command and asked for help demanding to encourage their children to discontinue. Children themselves do not want to continue as well and they want to return to the legal fold if they aren’t be punished,” a departmental source from Mandalay told the NP News.
The SAC consecutively released invitation statements on account of the parents’ demands; and accepted to fold of the law.
The youths who experienced once as the PDFs told that some wanted to return home to live peacefully; however, hardline entities intimidated killing if they returned.
“Pajau massacre is typical example of those jungle laws. At that time, those who wanted to return were cruelly killed by those who wanted to continue. Now is similar,” said the source.
Before this event, there have been a couple of ceremonies held by the government in previous months across the country in which the PDF members who did not commit any terror crime returning to the fold of the law were handed over to their parents without punishment.
Especially in Sagaing Region, the PDF youths abandon armed-insurgent courses; some transformed into people’s militia or lay people. Figures have been reaching four digits who give up the PDF life which do not provide life-guarantee to them.
https://npnewsmm.com/news/62aabe75c7f8393f22442978