Resistance groups under the command of the publicly mandated National Unity Government (NUG) have defended their use of force to apprehend members of a local defence group in Magway Region late last month.
Some 30 armed fighters including members of the Gangaw Township People’s Defence Force (PDF) raided the base of the Phoenix Defence Battalion (PDB), an independent resistance group active in northern Gangaw Township, on April 20.
At least 30 members of the group were detained during the raid, which also involved a brief shootout between the two sides, according to Phyo, a PDB leader who was present at the time.
“We tried to convince them to talk this out when they started shooting, but they just kept shooting. I heard one of their leaders order their troops to ‘shoot and arrest.’ We had to abandon the base as it was our only option,” said Phyo, who was one of only three members of the group to escape.
Among those detained were the wife of a group leader and some civilian fundraisers, he added.
The PDB is facing allegations of misusing funds and wrongfully arresting and mistreating civilians.
According to the vice chair of Gangaw Township’s People’s Administration Team—which operates under the NUG’s Ministry of Home Affairs—a report on complaints of alleged abuse by the PDB has already been filed and testimony from their purported victims has been submitted to the NUG’s Defence Ministry.
The vice chair also disputed the PDB’s claims that the group came under attack. The PDF troops only fired their weapons in the air as a warning, he said, adding that the PDB members fled after firing several shots.
He also denied that the detained PDB members were being held prisoner.
“We aren’t keeping them prisoner. They are being held at their relatives’ houses. They’re not under physical restraint,” he said, adding that he did not know the exact number of PDB members who were arrested.
Myanmar Now attempted to contact NUG Defence Ministry officials for comment, but did not receive a response.
The PDB has been part of the anti-junta resistance since 2021 and formerly served as Battalion 4 of the Yaw Defence Force (YDF). However, it cut ties with the YDF in early 2023 over disagreements regarding policies on arming and fundraising for individual battalions and squadrons and has since operated independently.
Phyo, the PDB leader, argued that the NUG’s township-level authorities were mishandling the case.
“They could have called or summoned us anytime to ask about complaints against us,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to clear our names. Instead, they just raided our base unannounced.”
He added that the PDF troops seized firearms, handmade explosives and mortars, three drones, 3,000 bullets and other ammunition, and more than 20m kyat ($9,500) in donations during their raid on the PDB base.
In addition to NUG’s PDF chapters, there are at least five resistance groups operating in Yaw Region, including the PDB and the YDF. Spokespersons from three of those groups agreed that if the accusations had any grounds, the NUG and PDF should have called a meeting and given the group a fair trial rather than raiding their base by force.
“We would have preferred if they didn’t use weapons and instead just put the responsible persons on trial, then taken appropriate action afterwards. We’re only asking for justice,” said a leader from a local resistance group operating independently of the NUG.
