Almost a 12 months after Myanmar’s army seized energy, sources say crime charges are rising all through the nation, largely as a result of authorities are too busy specializing in the political fallout from the coup and countering armed resistance to junta rule.
Residents of each rural and concrete areas advised RFA’s Myanmar Service that as members of the safety forces proceed to take care of widespread public unrest from the army’s Feb. 1, 2021, unseating of the democratically elected Nationwide League for Democracy authorities, theft and assault have grow to be rampant, with felony acts more and more occurring in broad daylight.
The Economist not too long ago ranked Myanmar’s business capital Yangon 58th out of 60 cities — following Lagos and Caracas — by way of private safety and sixtieth general in its 2021 Secure Metropolis Index, which seems at 76 indicators, together with healthcare, infrastructure and environmental safety.
The proprietor of a bicycle supply service in Yangon area’s Shwepyithar township named Kyaw Kyaw advised RFA that he was robbed of his cellphone and pockets by males on a motorcycle in November whereas making his rounds.
“At first, I believed it was a prank by a few of my pals,” he mentioned, explaining that snatch-and-grabs had been far much less frequent previous to the coup.
“They ran off on their bike and I used to be on my bicycle. There have been over 200,000 kyats (U.S. $115) and financial institution playing cards in my pockets. Half the cash was mine and the remainder belonged to my clients. I had to make use of my financial savings to pay them again.”
The identical month, three males on a bike snatched a purse from two siblings using a bicycle in Yangon’s North Okkalapa township, a member of their household named Ma Ei mentioned.
“The 2 siblings had been on their bicycle and the thugs snatched away the purse whereas on the street,” she mentioned.
“Although they grabbed again, the strap of the purse snapped and the three escaped on their bike. There have been 50,000 kyats (U.S. $30) and two cell telephones inside. They didn’t dare chase them because it may have been harmful. My aunt’s medical data had been on the telephones and now they’re misplaced.”
Each Kyaw Kyaw and Ma Ei mentioned they didn’t report the robberies to the police, because it was unlikely the police would find a way or keen to trace down their private objects.
No entry to police
Within the 11 months since Myanmar’s coup, the army has killed at the very least 1,469 civilians and arrested greater than 8,600 others, principally throughout widespread peaceable demonstrations, in keeping with the Bangkok-based Help Affiliation for Political Prisoners.
Pho Phyu, a human rights lawyer, mentioned that there have been a number of assaults on police stations in the course of the unrest. Civilians at the moment are principally prohibited from getting into the stations to report crimes.
“You can not file a case as a result of the police themselves are so fearful about their very own security they received’t enable civilians to enter the premises. They’ve armed guards on the entrance,” he mentioned.
“If you’re fortunate to get an opportunity to file a case, there received’t be any investigations or hearings.”
Victims of crimes reported feeling extra insecure as a result of the police can now not perform their day-to-day tasks within the wake of the political turmoil.
When contacted by RFA, junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun mentioned incidents may be reported to native authorities administrative places of work and insisted that crimes are being dealt with by the police. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that safety has been stepped up at some police stations, making it tougher for residents to report crimes.
“You can not report each single subject to the police station. Solely police circumstances ought to be reported to the police station, and they are going to be accepted in keeping with the rule of regulation,” he mentioned.
“Some police stations have tight safety however solely in sure locations — not all through the nation. In some areas on the outskirts of Yangon … there have been assaults and tight safety measures are in place for stations like that.”
Emotions of insecurity
Final month, a bunch of males robbed a cellphone store within the small city of Pyundaza, in southern central Myanmar’s Bago area.
A buddy of the store proprietor advised RFA that residents consider the authorities is not going to defend them and due to this fact unlikely to ask them for assist.
“Most don’t disclose the sum of money they misplaced, nor do they go to the police station for concern of additional retaliation from the robbers,” he mentioned, talking on situation of anonymity.
On Sept. 9, a prepare engineer in Myanmar’s second-largest metropolis Mandalay named Win Ko Oo who left his job to affix the anti-junta Civil Disobedience Motion, was overwhelmed to dying by a bunch of unidentified males as they tried to rob him from a motorbike.
A Mandalay resident who additionally declined to be named advised RFA he’s now afraid to go away his residence amid.
“All of us are struggling to make ends meet and there’s no assure of our security,” he mentioned.
“We can’t get assist from anybody. Even in broad daylight, we should examine in our rear-view mirror on a regular basis or look forward for half a mile or so to see if there are any harmful parts round. We really feel so insecure.”
Reported by RFA’s Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.