Over 30 so-called people militia groups fuel looting, killings in Muse
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Phyo/Thant Zin (NP News) – August 4
According to information obtained by The Statesman from local residents, there are at least 30 so-called people militia groups in Muse, Shan State, and kidnappings, robberies, and killings are occurring every month.
Muse is a town located on the Myanmar-China border, where the Nandaw Gate and Sinphyu Gate are located. It is currently densely populated, with many people from Myanmar traveling to China for work.
A local said that there are at least 30 armed groups called people militias in the town, each with up to 500 members.
“There are many groups called people militias. There are at least 30 groups, each with about 500 members. I don’t know if they are officially formed. After 1027 operation, they gathered nearby and the number of groups increased. That’s how it happened,” said a local resident.
In Muse, where there are many of these groups, kidnappings and killings are occurring at least three times a month, and the relevant forces are making very few arrests.
"Here, if someone doesn't like you, they just pay to have you killed. There was an incident in the past—I remember the woman who was murdered; she was a relative of my boss. She ran a grocery store from her home and was doing quite well. She was killed there. Even then, they couldn’t catch the criminal. There was CCTV footage, but no one was arrested. The police don’t dare to act. The militia groups are more powerful than the police. Many of those groups are Chinese," a local woman told The Statesman.
The most recent incident was on July 24, when shooting occurred near the Piti Tea Shop in Muse, resulting in the death of two women from gunshot wounds.
Similarly, just days later, on July 26, a 40-year-old woman was robbed and murdered near a donation site on Mount Malwaltainkham in Muse Township, and died from 12 stab wounds.
In addition, the local woman said that there are also drug, casino, and online gambling businesses in Muse, and that most of the casinos are provided with security by so-called people militia groups.