Once members of a peaceful urban protest movement, Peoples Defence Forces fighters are bearing the brunt of fighting around the strategic border town of Myawaddy.

Myawaddy

### Myanmar Conflict: Peoples Defence Forces Fight for Myawaddy

In the strategic border town of Myawaddy, the Peoples Defence Forces (PDF), initially part of a peaceful urban protest movement, are now at the forefront of the conflict. These fighters, coming from various backgrounds including urban youth and professionals, have transitioned into a well-organized and disciplined militia. This transformation followed a brutal military crackdown after a coup, which saw protesters facing severe violence and arrests, pushing them towards taking arms for their cause.

The inception of the PDF can be traced back to peaceful protests that erupted across Myanmar's cities, where people, particularly the younger generation, clamored for democracy and freedom. The military's harsh response to these demonstrations propelled the protesters to either surrender or resist. A substantial number of them chose the latter, opting to fight back from the borders of the country. The PDF has undergone rigorous training, initially struggling with a lack of weapons and ammunition but recently witnessing a significant shift in their armament situation.

In recent months, the PDF has managed to capture military bases, significantly boosting their arsenal with seized weapons and ammunition. This improvement in armament has been a game-changer for the group. Alongside their combat efforts, they are also harnessing the power of social media to support their cause. Notably, figures like Toji, a renowned hip-hop artist turned rebel fighter, are leveraging their popularity to raise morale and funds for the movement. Despite the hardships and the transition from urban lives to guerrilla warfare, the spirit among the PDF ranks remains high, as they continue their struggle for democracy in Myanmar.



Myanmar conflict: Peoples Defence Forces fight for Myawaddy

Fighters from the People's Defense Force speed along the roads of Kain State. Aside from the threat in the air, they have the countryside locked down. A well-organized, disciplined militia, born of a peaceful disobedience movement. In the aftermath of the military coup, peaceful protesters took to the streets of all Myanmar's major cities. The urban youth, Gen Z, unwilling to give up the freedoms of democracy. The military crackdown that followed was brutal. Hundreds gunned down in the streets, thousands more hauled away to detention. The protesters were left with a stark choice, submit or move to the borders and fight. I arrived in this area around August 2021. I was in the KNLA force in the Lake Kekau area, Mayawadi. I decided to take up arms and fight back initially. After the training, I decided to work as a medic. Trained by ethnic Karen rebels who've been fighting for autonomy for decades, they learned new skills. But a shortage of weapons and ammunition left only one rifle for every two fighters. Now all of that has changed. One of the things that's made a huge difference in the last six months is weapons. The pro-democracy forces have seized from military bases they've overrun. These are just some of the rifles they've taken from bases in the last couple of weeks. The young urban fighters are using their social media skills too. Toji was a famous hip-hop artist. Now he tours rebel bases, raising morale and funds. I have done this kind of fundraising many times before. The enemy uses all their power and resources to attack us, so we have to raise funds by any means, such as collecting donations from people online. The song he's singing, originally performed by Zeya Thor, politician and rapper, executed by the military junta in 2022. As the sun sets, fighters slip out of cover to wash in the river. Educated urban professionals turned into jungle guerrillas. But despite all the obstacles, it's a fight they could well win. Tony Chang, Al Jazeera, Cayen State, Eastern Myanmar.

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