The community security team has been comprised of about 200 members in Mon State, according to sources close to the state’s administration department.
Military leader General Min Aung Hlaing instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs in a meeting held in March to form a community security group with military supporters and some civilians in regions and states.
Therefore, under the leadership of Mon State Chief Minister U Zaw Lin Tun, a joint team of military and civil departments visited various townships and held meetings with local administrations.
This public security group is designed to provide security mainly for neighborhoods and villages, but there are reports that they may be sent to the front lines alongside the army if necessary, so few people registered and there were some delays.
Due to these circumstances, they were able to form a community security group with a strength of only 200 people, along with veteran soldiers and some military supporters in Mon State, a person close to the military council said.
However, the military council leader’s instructions regarding when the public security members will receive training and the tasks to be carried out have not yet been given, and the detailed plans to be carried out are still unknown, the source said. He added that, if approved by the military council, members of the community security team would receive salaries and other benefits.
On the other hand, the authorities have announced that those who want to join the public security groups can register at any time, and are conducting campaigns as usual to increase the number of members.
In most regions and states, there has been intense fighting between the military council and the revolutionary forces since the National Unity Government (NUG) declared the start of the People’s Resistance War.
The military council is losing members on a regular basis in these conflicts, which is reducing the strength of the troops on the front lines, and there is also a need for staff in the administrative sector. As a result, the authorities hastily established community security groups.
