Underage and Persons with Disabilities are Also Included in the Recruitment of U Shwe Min’s Militia

Pajau Media Channel

According to Lisu residents who live in Waingmaw Township, the militia led by U Shwe Min (Lisu National Development Party) are forcibly recruiting and arresting Lisu People from Waingmaw Town more than before.

The Militia are recruiting people in a more stricter way than last year. Even young people those who are underage, people with disabilities and including 50 years old ages are also recruited by the militia.

According to witnesses, the 15 years old boy who is the nephew of Wa Nyar (Traditional medicine practitioner) and two disabled people from neighbor were arrested by militias on January 15th at around 11:00 PM.

“Including children and adults with disabilities were recruited by the militia. They came by car and took the underage children and elders as hostages and they asked them to replace them with healthy young people for new militia members recruitment,” he said.

The arrested people were a 15 years old boy, a deaf man who is almost 50 years old and the rest one is over 40 years old man who cannot see in one eye.

Since the beginning of this year, the militias led by U Shwe Min have been recruiting and arresting new forces in a different way than last year. The residents said that the recruited underage children and disabled people would only be released if they were exchanged with someone young and healthy from their families.

A person who did not wish to be named told Pajau Media that the Lisu people who do not support U Shwe Min’s action, even they did not want to be arrested or recruited, it was difficult to avoid the recruitment.

“They have all the household lists and demographics of every Lisu house. U Shwe Min was also elected as the Minister of Lisu Affairs and said that he represents all Lisu. In his Lisu militia, he issued a letter stating that every household must serve, and when he came and recruited, no one could say anything, so Lisu people are trying to avoid the recruitment as they can,” he said.

In addition, according to the locals, inspections are often conducted at the Aung Myay (1) checkpoint and on the roads entering and exiting of the village, to prevent Lisu people from leaving their homes in Aung Myay (1), Hkashi Thargaya village.

On October 30th, the militia led by U Shwe Min @ Si Pha Lar Lu issued a statement that one person from each Lisu’s household must serve as a militia soldier, but the Lisu youths from Waingmaw and those who live abroad also issued a statement on December 3rd objecting to the statement of U Shwe Min militia leader.

News – Lay Pyay

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