Yangon — A 23-year-old Christian minister serving under the Faith City Assembly of God in Yangon has been forcibly seized and conscripted into military training by the Myanmar junta, according to his family.
Lic. Pau Muan Lian, a minister cardholder officially registered with the Assemblies of God, disappeared on November 30 after passing through the Pansodan checkpoint in downtown Yangon. His family reported losing all contact with him immediately afterward.
After more than a week with no information, the young minister managed to call home at 5:00 a.m. on December 8, confirming that he had been detained by the junta’s military commission and transported to a conscription training site.
According to his family, he was initially taken from the Thein Chaung intersection between Yuzana and South Dagon (Taung Dagon) before being moved to a military facility in Renyi City.
His father, Rev. Pau Khan Nang, released a statement expressing both sorrow and gratitude:
“My son, Pau Muan Lian, who was taken from the military training center and transported to Renyi City on the evening of November 30, called us at 5 a.m. today to say he has arrived there for military training. We are very grateful to everyone who has prayed for him. Please continue to pray for his safe return…”
Verified Church Credentials Confirm Ministerial Status
Pastor Pau Muan Lian’s official minister identification card from a local church of the Assembly of God confirms that he is a recognized Christian minister with registration number 10192, complete with verified photo, signature, and authorization for ministry work in Yangon.
His arrest underscores growing fears that the junta is deliberately targeting ethnic minorities and religious workers as part of its forced recruitment efforts.
Growing Pattern of Forced Conscription in Yangon
The Rangoon Scout Network reports that more than 100 civilians were seized across Yangon during November 2025 and forced into military training, with some released only after ransom payments. Many others—especially young men from ethnic minority communities—have been sent directly to junta-controlled training camps.
Human rights groups warn that the forced conscription of clergy, ethnic minorities, and unarmed civilians violates international humanitarian norms.
Family Calls for Immediate Intervention
Rev. Pau Muan Lian’s family is urgently calling on churches, civil society organizations, and international human rights advocates to intervene for his safety and press for his release.
They urge immediate action to ensure:
- His safety
- Access to communication
- Legal protection
- Immediate release
As Myanmar’s forced conscription campaign intensifies, families across the country fear becoming the next victims of the junta’s expanding military crackdown.