Rumours that the army is forcing men to fight in the Kokang conflict are rife in Nay Pyi Taw and beyond. PHOTO/ WIKICOMMONS
Locals in Nay Pyi Taw are said to be hiding in banana trees amid rumours that the army is forcibly recruiting young men to serve in the fight against Kokang rebels.
The Myanmar Times reported on Wednesday that police in the capital denied the practice of conscripting military porters, historically commonplace in the army, continued to take place.
But as clashes continue in the north, where the government has declared martial law and thousands have poured across the border into China, men and boys are reportedly staying off the streets after dark and students leaving class early for fear that they will be inducted on the roads to their home villages.
Meanwhile, in Yangon, a teenager was among two men allegedly abducted on February 17, according to reports by local media which could not be independently verified.
Byar Reh, 17, and U Tun Reh, 30, both from Kayah State, were planning to leave the commercial capital when they were approached by a man who promised to help them catch a bus home but instead escorted them to an army base in North Dagon, according to reports cited in Mizzima.
The older man is reported to have fled but Byar Reh is still missing.
