Ye -- The Burmese Army (BA) has ordered village headmen to recruit local militias in Ye and Ye Byu townships along the Ye Tavoy motor road.

According to one village headman in southern Ye, headmen have been responsible for sending villagers to the Burmese government's militia training.  The order came out in early October from the Commander of the Southeast Command based in Moulmein, Mon State. Yar Pu, Kyauk Kadin, Kywe Talin and Aleh Sakhan villages were ordered to form local militias (Pyi-Thu-Sit) after the training, before the army equipped them with weapons.  Every village was required to recruit at least twenty militias to be in compliance with the BA.  Villagers are typically required to pay all of their expenses during the training, including food, militia salaries, and other services.

“Many villagers are afraid to work in the militia because it is very dangerous for them. The area is controlled by NMSP armed groups and others,” said Sardar, a youth leader from Ye.

The militia groups' main role under military command is to act as a kind of buffer for the BA.  The militia also leads the BA in their military operations. Most militiamen are retired soldiers from the BA or local poor men who are unemployed and unable to feed their families. They are given the power to extort and punish villagers who oppose them with impunity.  

A similar order was sent to village headmen in Kyaimayaw Township, Mon State last month.  The headmen there were ordered to find new recruits for the Burmese police force.

A Mon political observer said the BA’s plan is to restrict the movement of the New Mon State Party, which is under cease-fire, since the SPDC is not happy that the NMSP did not comply with their policy to become a Border Guard Force.