Defiant PDFs allegedly target religious events
184
Phyo/Thant Zin (NP News) - Nov 4
According to inquiries by The Statesman, the PDFs are disrupting people's religious festivals, based on the idea of "If I can't have it, neither can you".
With the arrival of the current open season, it is the time when Kathina donation festivals, pagoda festivals, and religious festivals are being held across Myanmar.
The festivals held during this period were mostly seen in the lower and central regions of Myanmar, and as the Tatmadaw intensified its crackdown on PDFs based in these regions, the PDFs began to use the title of revolution to carry out disruptions and sabotage.
“When a revolution under a title fails, it will turn to violence. If it fails, it will start thinking that it will do whatever it takes. The more they do violent acts, the further away they will be from the people who will be their base of support. If the PDFs continue like this, they will see their ending in the near future. As long as they stay among the people and do things that the people do not accept, they will never succeed,” said U Thein Tun Oo, executive director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategy Studies.
In the most recent incident, on October 29, a woman was killed when a PDF group opened fire on her during a religious ceremony in Kwingyi Village, Thaekone Township, Nattalin District, Bago Region, according to a local.
“That village was peaceful. They were offering alms. When the PDF arrived on motorbikes, everyone was in a panic. They started shooting at them with guns. A woman on their way was shot. Needless to say, they came and shot her deliberately. The village couldn’t offer alms. The whole village was scared and didn’t dare to leave their houses. The woman who was shot in the neck has died,” said a local.
Similarly, on October 16, eight people, including the village administrator, were killed when the PDF group opened fire on a village road opening ceremony near Pekan village, Sanpae Kone village tract, Pyawbwe Township, Mandalay Region.
Additionally, despite the PDF banning public events and travel, the famous Taunggyi Tazaungdaing Festival is being held in full swing, with the number of people attending this year's festival reaching before covid period.
“Taunggyi Tazaungdaing has attracted a lot of people this year. They are just talking about artists doing boycott. Sai Sai and G Fatt even came to perform at that event. The boycott they said was not successful. So maybe they are turning a blind eye to holding events in places where they can do it,” said a Taunggyi resident.
However, while the PDF disrupts festivals in areas they do not control, they allow festivals to be held in areas they control and hold people hostage.
For example, during the Thadingyut period, political-themed candlelight vigils were held, and the PDF, like ordinary citizens, participated and tried to show their stance by forming a human shield.
“They organize festivals. And then the PDFs are involved. If they organize festivals in their area, they can. Then their PDFs provide security. Now they are also holding the Kathina festival. Then when the Tatmadaw gets information and attacks the PDFs, they will say that ordinary people are affected. This is also a kind of human shield,” said a local from Anyar region.