A township council under the military regime in southern Shan State has been gathering names to allegedly assemble People’s Defence and Red Cross teams.

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A middle-aged man from Mong Nai Township, who requested anonymity, said he suspects the People’s Defence will eventually become a People’s Militia Force.

”So far, they haven’t given them any weapons,” he said, and has no further information about this.

Others said it had to do with the preparation of voter lists for the upcoming 2023 elections.

Another man from Mong Nai told SHAN that many people from other regions of the country have settled in the township.

“They come from central Burma and live in the outskirts of Mong Nai town,” he said, stressing that they aren’t road construction workers but move from village to village selling carpets and maps. The number of thieves has dramatically increased in the town, he said.

The strangers live next to the Burma Army base in town and outside Mong Nai.

The Restoration Council of Shan State is also present in the township.