Military Council soldiers and police check licenses, confiscate cars and make arrests near the State Parliament building, the Bala Min Htin Bridge, and also the entry and exit gates of the state capital ,Myitkyina, since November 8.
Armed soldiers and police in mufti stopped cars traveling into the capital for inspection and a score of people have been arrested. An eyewitness said that “at least 70 cars were confiscated in a single day on November 9. under the Bala Min Htin Bridge.”
The seized vehicles were kept in No. 1 Police Station, and some were released in the evening, leaving only 38 cars, a local whose car was confiscated told Myitkyina News Journal.
“I even wonder if they are deliberately making the situation worse for the people who are already suffering. This action indicates that they are ruling with distrust and fear. And releasing the cars of people with ties to the military is completely unfair”, he commented.
Locals said that the total number of cars that were seized at all checkpoints in a single day on November 8 could be hundreds, and they most have not been returned yet.
One local whose car was seized commented “Until now, we haven't heard anything from them. Yesterday at 4:00 PM, they drove our cars to the No. 1 Police Station and kept them there. They told us that they would return the cars. They also said they would contact and inform us, but they haven't called yet,” he said.
However any cars impounded where the owners with links to the police or military were quickly released according to local residents while the cars of ordinary citizens were are still being held in the police station compound.
The local complained “One thing I cannot accept is the release of cars linked to the military and their associates while the rest of us, we have our cars seized. I feel this is unfair to the rest of the car-owners who suffered their vehicles being confiscated. I see this as the military abusing its authority to the public.”
Among the cars seized were vehicles belonging to a local church. Even though identification and supporting documents were submitted that proved the vehicle belonged to the religious organization, still the cars have not yet been returned.
U Tun Tun Thein, a lawyer in Myitkyina, told the Myitkyina News Journal that travel is not safe for people anymore, because of the impounding of vehicles , and he wondered if the the Military Council may be planning to profit from the vehicles and boost their own funds.
“The first thing is to deliberately increase people's hardship. They do it to make the public feel insecure when they travel. The second point is that they are confiscating public properties and supplementing their finances. Perhaps soldiers are looking for an extra budget to spend or it is for the benefit of the Military Council?”, he commented.
U Tin Tun Thein also expressed his opinion that confiscation of unlicensed cars is also an effort by the Military Council to suppress the revolutionary forces.
“Revolutionary tactics, bombings and shootings are carried out in targeted areas using cars and motorcycles. Bombs and weapons are carried by vehicles too. It seems that the Military Council intends to control that problem. Perhaps they want to push the resistance forces that oppose them to a situation where the public no longer supports their revolution”, he said.
Another Myitkyina resident criticized that “the fact that the cars are being impounded by the Military Council itself is a dictatorial act towards the people. He said that confiscating the vehicles that people use to work when the economy is in trouble, should not be done. “
There are some rumours circulating on social media that the impounded cars can be redeemed for money, but some owners who have yet to get their cars back have said that news is not accurate.
Locals said that they saw soldiers and police take position near the Tat Kone Shwe Road. in another urban centre Bhamo ,reporting that soldiers and police came together and arrested more than 100 motorcycles and 30 cars on November 6 th .
