The junta has aggressively enforced travel restrictions on holders of national ID cards (NICs) issued to residents from regions with strong resistance, according to bus ticketing services.
Residents of certain townships in Shan, Arakan (Rakhine) states, and Mandalay, Magway and Sagaing regions face stricter travel restrictions. They must obtain letter of recommendations from junta-appointed officials to purchase highway bus tickets. Bus ticketing services have also been instructed not to sell tickets to NIC holders from these areas without the required letters.
Residents holding NICs issued in Lashio, Kyaukme, Namtu, Thibaw (Hsipaw), and Konkyan townships in northern Shan State; Mogok Township in Mandalay Region; Monywa, Shwebo, and Myaung in Sagaing Region; and all townships in Magway and Sagaing regions must obtain letters of recommendation from the nearest police station and ward administration office before traveling.
They must obtain letters of recommendation from police stations or administration offices at least a week before their trip, and without these letters, bus ticketing services will not sell them tickets, according to bus operators.
“When I went to buy a bus ticket to go home, the seller asked to see my NIC and checked it carefully. People I know from Arakan are afraid to return. The road checks are very strict, especially for Arakan State NIC holders, and many fear arbitrary arrests,” said a resident of Ywangan Township in Shan State.
Bus operators explained that passengers with targeted NICs are required to present recommendation letters in advance to avoid facing strict interrogation, extortion, or, in some cases, arrest at junta checkpoints along the route.
These travel restrictions are causing hardships across all segments of society, affecting those traveling for medical care, business, or education.
“Even if someone wants to go home because their parents are sick, they might not make it in time. With these procedures requiring recommendation letters a week in advance, they could only arrive for the funeral,” the Ywangan resident added.
Restricting travel based on NICs is a clear violation of every citizen’s basic right to freedom of movement. At the same time, junta soldiers at checkpoints are exploiting these rules to extort money from travelers.
“The security and freedom of ordinary people are already disappearing everywhere. Using NICs to restrict travel has just become an easy way for junta soldiers to extort money,” said a Lashio resident.
Bus operators explained that they are urging passengers to obtain necessary documents at least a week in advance, as verification processes may cause delays.
