Mai Pome Sange, Nov 25, Taunggyi
The junta’s military troops at a checkpoint in Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State, are strictly scrutinizing and extorting money from Ta’ang (Palaung) ethnic people originally from northern Shan State, according to the people who are familiar with these incidents.
A source reported that on November 23, at the checkpoint in Ayethaya Township located at the exit of Taunggyi, southern Shan State, he was extorted by junta troops.
“I was taking the distance learning exam in Taunggyi and was about to return to Lashio. They demanded my ID card, and because I am Palaung, they extorted money. They demanded 500,000 kyats or said I would have to join the military. Showing my student card didn’t help. I had to plead with them and finally settled for 200,000 kyats,” he said.
Taunggyi is not only the capital of Shan State, where the military junta’s state administration is located, but also a strategic stronghold as it hosts the military’s Eastern Regional Command.
According to residents, the increased security is likely due to the frequent visits by Junta Chief Min Aung Hlaing, who often practices religious rituals and Yadaya (spiritual acts) at Shwe Phone Pwint Pagoda in Taunggyi.
The junta’s military troops are reportedly targeting Ta’ang ethnic people who carry ID cards with the “13/” code which represents Shan State, subjecting them to strict inspections of phones, backpacks, and even their hands and feet.
An individual who frequently passes through the checkpoint explained, “I’ve experienced it myself. The level of scrutiny differs between Mongkai Palaung and Namhsan Palaung. They first ask where the person is from. If you are from the North, they check everything, starting with your phone. If you are from the South, it is easier to pass.”
Junta forces have been continuously arresting and interrogating Ta’ang people at their checkpoints, as well as sealing off homes, following the recapture of several towns previously controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).
Translated by #KLT
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