The military regime has provided military training to unemployed villagers to form a militia in the Irrawaddy Region. Since the coup, the Burma Army (BA) has used People's Militias (PMF) to fight resistance groups trying to overthrow the dictatorship and restore democracy in the Southeast Asian country.

A man close to the regime-appointed government in Pathein Township said they pay both men and women $27 a month to join, most of whom are unemployed.

Headman Waing Gyi is organising the training for 60 people in Shaw Pya, while Kyaw Nyein, a former soldier, is training the new recruits how to shoot and use handguns, as well as other military exercises.

The administrative assembly in the village had to buy them military uniforms after BA failed to give it to them. During a visit at the beginning of the training in early July, Captain Min Min, from South-Western Military Command, promised to provide weapons to the trainees as soon as possible.

However, one villager, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that while the trainees were promised salaries and weapons to guard their villages, many of them are now unhappy after learning that they're being sent to other areas instead.

"These PMF members are so stupid and aggressive and now they (will) have a gun in their hands. I don't know what'll happen to our village," another Shaw Pya villager said on condition of anonymity. He said some of them were former soldiers, reserve firefighters and members of the military's Union Solidarity and Development Party.