Pajau Media Channel
According to local news sources, the people in the community are worried and insecure because the militias are recruiting reinforcement which are specified youths in the town of Waingmaw.
The recruitment of new recruits by militias in Waingmaw began in early of November and it is said that due to the increase of recruitment these days, the local people, including youth have to be in cautious and alerted at their everyday living.
According to an eyewitness, on the 4th of December, U Ze Dau (Pseudonym), who lives in front of the (LBC) Baptist Church in Tang Bau ward on the outskirts of Waingmaw, was arrested by 3 officials from militia group while he was resting inside his home at around 11:30 AM.
“They came and arrested him with guns, while he was napping in the afternoon. There were just his wife and other women in his house. He was the only male in his house. When he was arrested, his wife was left crying. And the women were also afraid and couldn’t say anything. They didn’t tie him up, they just took him in their car,” said a local witness.
A local who sells household goods at a place on Waingmaw-Washawng road also said that a group of militias were arresting the people living down the street, including people from Mading Village which is located at the back of Waingmaw ‘No (1) Basic Education High School’.
“On the street behind the school, it must be more than 10 people who were arrested in the white van,” said the person who witnessed it.
Militia groups only arrested in the outskirts of the town last month, but these days, the locals are saying that arresting for reinforcement is already underway in the wards from the downtown such as Ward (2), Ward (3), Ward (4) and Ward (5).
After the U Shwe Min (b) Si Pha Lar Lu’s milia group issued a statement on the 30th of October that one Lisu person from each Lisu’s household must serve as a militia soldier, the Lisu youths in Waingmaw township are no longer dare to stay in their own houses, and have to stay overnight in their respective relatives’ houses where they feel safe from the life-threatening statement.
The Lisu youths in Waingmaw who did not want this statement and the Lisu youths who live abroad also issued a statement on December 3rd objecting to the statement of U Shwe Min militia leader.
In the statement, there are slogans like, “Stop the forced recruitment of Lisu youth.”, “Don’t kill the future of our Lisu youth.”, “Release the forcibly taken youth.”, “Elders from the Lisu National Literature and Culture Group, don’t ignore the future of the youth.”, “Don’t be silent.”, “As religious leaders, organizations should also stand on the side of the truth.”, “As Lisu brothers living in Myanmar and Lisu people living abroad, please help to stop Shwe Min’s actions”.
Photo - Myitkyina News Journal
Comments