The military junta has reportedly compelled theresidents of  Manaung township in Rakhine State to oppose the Arakan Army(AA), said locals.

On 7 April at around 2 pm, approximately 30 juntasoldiers entered Thit Pone village in Manaung township and  asked thevillagers in a meeting to sign documents stating that they oppose the AA.

"After organising a meeting the soldiersdistributed papers through the village administrator and  asked theresidents to write their names, NRC number, address, etc. There was a line read 'We do not want Arakan Army’ and the soldiers asked the villagers to signover the papers," said a social activist.

He also added that the soldiers asked the villagers toguard their places. The villagers submitted their  names. Next morning, the  soldiers arrived and cautioned them not to support the AA. Prior to it, the villagers posted letters in three locationssaying ‘We do not want the military junta’.

Within a few days, several men between the ages of 18and 50  fled from the village as their names were listed for militaryservice, as they don't want to serve in the military.

"I haven't been able to flee. Many young peoplehave fled to safer places. I'm now scared. I have many responsibilities towardsthe family here. That's why I haven't been able to flee,” he added.

As the junta relinquished control of many northerntownships to the AA, the Rakhine activists reported that in some southerntownships, the civilians are being arrested and interrogated without anyreason. Even they have fired with artillery shells indiscriminately.