The writer is a journalist in Shan State who is receiving support from The Kite Tales to write these diaries. 

One night in March, soldiers arrested a high school head mistress and several other people in raids across town. We don’t know why they waited over a year after the coup to start their crackdown. But since that night dozens have been detained – mainly women and young people. Everyone is afraid. 

Immediately after the military coup in 2021, anti-junta protests erupted in Taunggyi, capital of Shan State, and some young people from the town went to areas under the rule of ethnic armed organisations to learn to fight.

But there were no clashes in the city then - just a few small explosions - because Taunggyi is dominated by militias that act as a reserve force of Myanmar's military junta. Plus the town is physically surrounded by various army battalions.

A year after the coup the city of nearly 400,000 people was in a state of relative calm. But all that changed on the night of March 25, the last day households had to register all people living in their property with the military authorities.

Aat about 10:40 pm police raided the home of Daw Nwe Nwe Aye, the owner and principal of a private high school in Taunggyi, searching for her and her niece, according to the Telegram channel of one of the military’s supporters. She was wanted over accusation that she supported resistant forces, known as the People’s Defence Force.

A friend who was monitoring the situation told me that when they did not not find them at home, the police searched the neighbouring houses, looting belongings from the occupants as they went.

At around 2am, the police tracked Daw Nwe Nwe Aye down to another house in town and arrested her along with a teacher and eight other young women.

Separately, police in another part of town arrested a man in possession of explosives, which according to local reports were destined to be sent to Yangon and Mandalay.

When I heard about the teachers, I thought back to the day last March when a group of protesters, including myself, played music and sang songs next to the school. Those arrests, which were so arbitrary, sent a ripple of fear around the town. Even those not deeply involved in the revolution are not safe.  

A friend called and warned me that the junta was looking for those young leaders involved in the protests last year.

“We do not know where they’re getting the information from or why the arrests are only taking place now, but young people should stay away,” he said.

As soon as I heard that, I felt unsafe at the place I was staying. For journalists like me, who are already targeted, it is even more worrying. We are on edge even when we sleep. My friends and acquaintances are also living in a constant state of alarm.

Now ordinary people do not dare to go out after 7 pm, so after the sun goes down, no one dares to leave their houses.

The police, the army and militia groups appear in the town and suburbs at nightfall, conducting random spot checks, probing every nook and cranny. The hotels are also searched regularly. Some patrol in uniform, while others walk around in civilian clothes. Their reason for this intrusion? Security.

Around 40 people have been arrested in recent months. Most of them are women and adolescents.

Locals tell me that the No. 1 Police Station in Taunggyi got so full that all non-political detainees have been transferred to a prison in nearby Nyaungshwe, the once-thriving tourist hotspot next to Inle Lake.

Taunggyi used to be a very peaceful and stable city. I love this city. It makes me very upset to see, hear, and read about what is happening. I am watching now from a distance, hoping it can return to its bustling former state.

The artwork is by an anonymous illustrator who is receiving support from The Kite Tales to produce illustrations.