People in Pauk Township, Magway voluntarily join People’s Militia
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Phyo/Pearl (NP News)
According to information obtained by the Statesman Journal from residents in Pauk Township, Magway Region, people have voluntarily joined the People’s Militia to protect their communities.
The mines planted on village roads and in car parks in Pauk Township have made it difficult for locals to travel, and the mines have also been planted in agricultural lands, making it difficult for most agricultural businesses to operate for over three years.
“Farmers have stopped cultivating their land. Because of landmines and other dangers, they can only grow crops in plots close to the village. There are many difficulties. It’s already been three or four years that they haven’t been able to farm properly. The local people have been living and traveling in fear. In 2021, 2022, and 2023, they didn’t really know much about the reason. But in 2024, they gradually began to learn about the activities of the PDFs. By 2025, the desire to serve as militia members had grown significantly. Many people have now come to understand what is actually happening on the ground. As they started realizing the damage to their own villages and areas, and learning more about the actions of the PDFs, they naturally developed a desire to protect themselves. In many cases, there is no need for formal recruitment,” a person close to the people military service told the Statesman Journal.
Currently, locals are reportedly seeking to voluntarily join the People’s Militia to protect their communities due to the violent actions of the PDF group.
“Everyone becomes one. Many people don’t want to accept that their villages and regions will be destroyed. Even if they supported the PDF before, now they don’t need to be organized to join the People’s Militia. Their emotions have become fear if their region will be burned or their schools and monasteries will be burned. That’s why the people military is strong. But there is a little problem with ammunition. There is also a problem with ration,” he continued.
The PDF group is reportedly frequently using drop bombs and handmade explosives to attack some villages in Pauk Township, and when laying mines on village roads and highways, they are also laying two or three layers of mines.