The military junta council has been continuously arresting individuals involved in social and humanitarian work in Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State, according to local sources.
On September 18 and 20, the military junta council detained eight members, including the chairman of the Independent Social Welfare Association. Later, on September 22, two more individuals engaged in humanitarian work from Aung Thayar Ward in Thanbyuzayat were also arrested.
According to a local woman from Thanbyuzayat, the military junta council arrested an abbot from Sat Thit ward on September 23 for alleged links to the Independent Social Welfare Association.
"The previous eight were arrested for collecting donations for flood relief. The two others were detained because they refused to collect the bodies of deceased junta soldiers after a clash near the Three Pagodas Pass. Last night, I heard that an abbot was also arrested, but I don't know the exact details," she explained.
Reports suggest that the military junta council accused the Independent Social Welfare Association members of being in contact with the People's Defense Force (PDF) and assisting in arms transportation. However, the Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA) has not yet been able to verify this information.
The detained Thanbyuzayat residents are currently being interrogated at No. 4 Military Advanced Training Depot (MATD-4) in Weakali Village, Thanbyuzayat Township, and their families have not yet been granted visitation rights.
A humanitarian organization member reported that ongoing arrests have led some social rescue associations in Thanbyuzayat to temporarily halt their activities. The incident has also sparked anxiety among the locals.
"Everyone is scared. We don't know the reason for the arrests, making it difficult to predict what might happen. Nevertheless, our duty is to do our best for our community," said the humanitarian worker.
Since the military coup, members of social rescue teams in Mon State have faced increasing arrests. Two rescue team members from Thanbyuzayat and Mudon townships were previously sentenced to prison by the junta.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) report reveals that over 1,000 individuals have been arrested in Mon State since the military seized power.
