The Military Council is conducting investigations on residents near Inle Lake in the southern Shan State's Nyaungshwe Township, to determine their possible association with the People Defense Force (PDF), sometimes leading to arrests, locals said.
During the evening of May 21st, at around 8:00 PM, when streets were deserted, the Military Council executed a raid on a house situated in Inle, employing a team of approximately 20 individuals to meticulously conduct a thorough search.
Prior to entering the village, the soldiers deliberately disabled the streetlights and positioned concealed sentinels along the village road, ensuring covert surveillance before proceeding with the house raid, the house owner told Shan Herald.
"They initiated by causing a complete blackout in the entire village. Afterward, they strategically positioned hidden sentinels around my residence. Initially, three policemen entered the premises, followed by a subsequent arrival of soldiers, militia, and additional police personnel on five boats. They proceeded to conduct a thorough search of my house with an approximate force of 20 individuals”, he said.
The house owner added that soldiers, fully adorned in uniform and equipped with rifles, fervently searched his bedroom, bookshelves, and wardrobes for any evidence pertaining to the PDF.
"I wasn't scared, but I was a bit confused. The thought of running away didn't even cross my mind. Escaping isn't exactly my area of expertise, and I haven't engaged in any fraudulent activities myself. However, their thorough search of my house resulted in a complete mess”, he said.
Upon discovering no evidence linked to the PDF, the soldiers insisted on obtaining his mobile phone for further investigation.
"They went through my phone, specifically looking for any traces of communication with phone numbers they were familiar with. I was questioned about my whereabouts and activities during the period between January 2022 and March 2023. It turned out that the soldiers had raided my house based on a photograph they found from a PDF group, which featured me alongside a friend dating back to 2019. This photo became the basis for their accusation, claiming my association with the PDF and their intention to arrest me. Fortunately, the dates attached to the photos on my phone allowed me to resolve the situation smoothly”, he explained.
The Military Council troops examined the man's mobile phone meticulously, verifying whether he had ever communicated with any of the 270 phone numbers enlisted on their records.
The Military Council is intensifying its efforts to quell the resistance forces and has recently apprehended over 20 individuals from Inle, accusing them of having associations with PDF.
