September 27th, 2022
Since the third week of September, the military council is giving military training to and arming pro-military PyuSawHtee members in villages of Ywangan Township in Danu Self-Administered Zone in southern Shan State, citing security measures, according to local news sources from Tattaung village.
“Each person from a pro-military house has to attend the training without fail. They have to pay money if they are unable to attend it. However, the amounts are not fixed. The people can negotiate the amount with them,” a 30-year-old local man said.
Tattaung village has around 60 households. Almost all villagers are Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) supporters. The military council has armed nearly 40 PyuSawHtee members along with military uniforms, he added.
Since June, the military council has been giving military training in remote villages and in the villages where the USDP supporters are residing, in Ywangan Township.
In the third week of September, the military recruits more PyuSawHtee members and arm each member, said locals from Kyaukgupyin village near Tattaung village.
The military council has appointed graduated PyuSawHtee members as officers and provided them with a pistol and a bullet-proof jacket while the military council has provided an ordinary PyuSawHtee member with a MA rifle, according to locals.
A local man from Kyaukgupyin village said: “The military told villagers that the training course is aimed for protection against the attacks by the Urban Guerrilla (UG) forces. The UG forces have never attacked us. We are afraid of PyuSawHtee members. Now, they don’t get their salaries. The army told them to earn their living. The people from nearby villages have to be cautious as they have guns.”
As Ywangan and Pindaya Townships in Danu Self-Administered Zone have been the USDP-dominated areas since before the coup, the Urban Guerrilla Forces frequently assassinate military informants and PyuSawHtee members.
The military council is producing more PyuSawHtee members taking advantage of the fact that the UG forces find it difficult to survive in those townships, according to locals.
The military council is using its successful divide-and-rule technique which is the production of the people’s militia forces. In addition, the military council is creating a discord among Danu people by transforming PyuSawHtee members, according to locals.
Danu people are concerned about the military council’s propaganda which may result in disagreement and fighting among them.
Sent by NMG