Two local fishermen out on the banks of the of the Irrawaddy River, south of Ywa Haung Kone, Lay Ein Tan Village Tract, Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region, were violently beaten by the military council at around 1 a.m. on June 25 and had money extorted from them, according to locals.

“We were arrested at 1.00 a.m. and were beaten on our cheeks and ears for no reason,” said one of the men. “Then they asked us for 15 lakhs each (one and a half million kyat).”

There were 10 soldiers and two plain clothes personnel who were acting as guides, he said.

“We are living from hand to mouth. Eventually we had to save by collecting money from acquaintances as much as we could until 3 in the morning and pay 500,000 kyat each. I was beaten all the time while gathering the money. And they told us that they do not want to see us the next day. If found, everything would be burned. We have no weapons and no ability for resistance. So, we endure whatever they do,” the fisherman told Mizzima.

Myanmar security forces last week went from house-to-house last week in a nearby village searching, arresting and attacking villagers. The Military Council have arrested local youths and often indiscriminately shot in some villages, including Myingyan township.

According to villagers, local people in some villages have fled to other villages due to such threats and violence.