[ Frontier Myanmar ] ‘Our revolution is starting’: Urban guerrillas prepare to step up killings, bombings

‘Our revolution is starting’: Urban guerrillas prepare to step up killings, bombings | Frontier Myanmar

Small, independent groups are waging guerrilla warfare on the streets in an effort to undermine the military regime but the rising violence has some Yangon residents worried for their safety.

“We can’t protest on the street because the army and security forces shoot us with real bullets. But we must revolt against the junta, so we choose armed revolution,” Min Wai told Frontier on May 24, asking not to reveal his real name for safety reasons.

That month, he and his friends travelled from Yangon to an area under the control of an ethnic armed group and underwent a month of military training. A total of 50 young people participated in the course, he said.

Now back in Yangon, Min Wai and other members of his 10-person group are waging what they call “guerrilla warfare” in the commercial capital. They have planted hand grenades at barracks for police and soldiers as well as in government offices. 

“I learned how to fight using explosives and guns. Then we returned to Yangon to attack the junta’s army,” he said. “We used hand-made bombs to attack soldiers in some townships in May. We have carried out three missions in Yangon.”

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It had initially hoped ethnic armed groups would quickly agree to work together, but soon realized the federal army was a long-term prospect. On May 5, it announced the formation of a People’s Defence Force, and has since had some success incorporating ad hoc self-defence groups – many armed with little more than homemade hunting rifles – that emerged in the months after the coup into the PDF.

Many armed groups in urban and rural areas responded to the announcement by publicly declaring their loyalty to the PDF and agreeing to accept its command and a code of conduct outlined by the NUG.

Speaking at a press conference on June 5, Deputy Minister for Defence Daw Khin Ma Ma Myo said many local PDFs are “preparing for war”, and the NUG will “launch a battle call in the future when the time is right”.