| Country: | Myanmar (Burma) |
| Details of Formation: | In March 1983, a possible foundation of the people’s militia is reported but it became first active in August 1983. It is unclear which institution was the initiator, but sources report that it was formed by army forces, who started recruitment in villages along the Bangladesh border. From 1989 onwards, multiple people’s militias were co-opted by the military and tasked with surveillance of other militias, providing local knowledge, and support in counter-insurgency. |
| Details of Termination: | No evidence of the group being terminated as of 2020. |
| Purpose: | The group was formed as part of the official armed forces’ effort to mitigate security threats from internal and external attacks. It was to be used as a threat to intimidate and deter insurgents from attacks. Other functions were gathering intelligence, identifying and arresting insurgents and guarding the border. |
| Organisation: | From 1990 to 2012 the group was led by T Khun Myat. It was under the control of the army, and specifically the army Chief of Staff (after 2002). However, a report states that the government was not able to effectively control the PGM. The group carried out joint operations with the armed forces and the people’s police force. |
| Weapons and Training: | News sources state that the group was trained by the military. |
| Size: | -- |
| Reason for Membership: | There was a legal provision for the forcible recruitment of members if it was deemed necessary by the president. |
| Treatment of Civilians: | According to reports by Human Rights Watch, the group was responsible for serious abuses. |
| Other Information: | The group is referred to as an auxiliary to the official armed forces, among others, including the Myanmar Police Force and Frontier Forces. The group was apparently involved in drug trafficking and given permission by the military to use territory to do so. The aim was for the group to generate income and become self-supporting. Sources frequently use “people’s militia” as an umbrella term for several PGMs of this type. Also referred to as “pyithusit”. |
| References: |
Human Rights Watch. 2011. “Burma: Q & A on an International Commission of Inquiry.” March 24, 2011. https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/03/24/burma-q-international-commission-inquiry Human Rights Watch. 2007. “Repression of the 2007 Popular protests in Burma.” December 6, 2007. https://www.hrw.org/report/2007/12/06/crackdown/repression-2007-popular-protests-burma Human Rights Watch. 2010. “Universal Periodic Review Submission: Myanmar (Burma).” July 1, 2010. https://www.hrw.org/news/2010/07/01/universal-periodic-review-submission-myanmar-burma Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD. Kevin Woods. 2019. “Rubber out of the ashes: locating Chinese agribusiness investments in ‘armed sovereignties’ in the Myanmar–China borderlands.” Territory, Politics, Governance 7(1): 79-95. Meehan, Patrick. 2015. “Fortifying or fragmenting the state? The political economy of the opium/heroin trade in Shan State, Myanmar, 1988–2013.” Critical Asian Studies 47(2): 253-282. Wikipedia. “T Khun Myat.” https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=T_Khun_Myat&oldid=1069205087 Wikipedia. “Tatmadaw.” https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tatmadaw&oldid=1085717282 |