Youths have been picked up by Burmese Army battalions under the jurisdiction of the Northern Military Command and Military Operation Command 21 (MOC 21) based in Bhamo district, Kachin State.
 
Recently, youths from among motorcycle carriers were selectively arrested by the army in between Nan Kham and Bhamo, said an eye witness who is a motorcycle-carrier.
 
"It's possible we were spared because we were older. Three youths, travelling ahead of us were arrested. It was learnt that they are from Madayar. Some said they were arrested to be used as porters. If that was so, they would have arrested all travellers. But it was selective arrests. The army battalion could be from 'Mum Se'. The youths were arrested near 'Mum Se' with whatever they were carrying,” he added.
 
On 21 June, army battalions under MOC-21 entered Mum Waing Gyi village and selectively arrested youths at night. Mum Waing Gyi village is known for its timber traffickers and motorcycle-carriers and is located on the Kachin and Shan border.
 
"There are some people who are fleeing to evade arrest for use as porters though it is not known whether the arrests are for portering or recruiting for the army. It is learnt that people from Bhamo and lower Burma have been arrested. It happened at night. It is not known how many were arrested," he said.
 
There is a significant decrease in the number of youths in motorcycle-carry jobs on the Sino-Burma route because of the army's arrests. Middle aged people and women are working in gold mines because of such arrests, locals said.
 
Locals from border areas say that there may be an operation for recruitment for the army. The army did not arrest for use as porters when it launched a crackdown on timber trafficking.