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SHAN STATE- According to locals, the Military Council pressured Karenni war refugees to participate in the protest in Taunggyi, Shan State against the war launched by the three brotherhood alliances (in the Western Shan).
It is said that 15 percent of Karenni war refugees who registered as guests in Taunggyi City participated in the protest held on January 12.
A Karenni refugee said, “I was frightened when a group of soldiers came to my house with guns. They said that we must participate in the protest. When we refused to participate, he showed me a gun and said, ‘Look at this.’ They wanted to portray that people who were flee the war do not want the war and protested,” he said.
He added that half of the family members had to attend the protest and that if there were only two people in the family both had to attend.
The demonstration (protest) was organized by the military and supporters of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). About 10000 people, including Pyu Saw Htee members, the respective ward administration officers, USDP party members, refugees who were forced to attend, some beggars, and Pa’O ethnic groups participated.
Two days before the demonstration, the Pa’O National Organization Party (PNO) ordered each person from a household in the Pa’O villages in Taungyi Township to attend the demonstration, and if they did not participate, they would have to pay 10,000 kyats (fine).
But the people who participated were awarded 10,000 kyats as travel expenses, and the leaders received up to 30,000 kyats, said those who participated.
The demonstration was organized to protest against the three brotherhood alliances of Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Arakan Army (AA) which were conducting Operation 1027. The protest ended with people marching and chanting slogans along the General Road in Taunggyi.