Yan, a former Myanmar police officer, told Reuters he spent two years risking his life pretending to serve the military junta while secretly spying for the armed resistance. His comments come as Myanmar's regime faces the biggest threat to its rule since seizing control in a 2021 coup. - REUTERS
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00:00 Myanmar's junta is facing the greatest threat to its power since it seized control in a
00:06 coup in 2021 as it battles an unprecedented alliance of opponents.
00:12 Internal dissent and defections also pose a serious problem for the junta.
00:18 Reuters spoke to two former policemen who secretly defected and aided the opposition
00:22 by leaking intelligence.
00:25 Yan, who is now 24, fled Myanmar in April. Reuters is not disclosing his whereabouts
00:31 for security reasons.
00:33 "I want a future for Myanmar where the military cannot stage coups again and again. I want
00:40 a military that will listen to the president of the people."
00:44 Yan joined the police force in late 2020, but decided to defect after he witnessed the
00:49 arbitrary arrest and beating of protesters during a brutal military crackdown.
00:55 "People hated us," Yan told Reuters, adding that he didn't feel good.
01:02 Yan is living in exile with his elder brother, Ye, who also defected from the police force.
01:08 They started a business making and selling fabric printed with leaves from their home
01:13 country. Some of the proceeds are sent back home to support the resistance.
01:19 In October, Myanmar's rebel coalition launched a major offensive against the ruling junta,
01:25 capturing around 150 military outposts, five towns and four border gates within a month.
01:32 This video, released by an opposition armed group in November, purportedly shows soldiers
01:37 surrendering to the insurgents.
01:39 One of several opposition groups told Reuters they have been receiving intelligence from
01:44 spies within the security forces. It included information about the transportation of military
01:50 supplies which helped them plan ambushes. They also received tip-offs about impending
01:55 attacks or airstrikes. Think Tank United States Institute for Peace estimates as many as 8-thousand
02:02 people have fled the security forces.
02:05 The brothers also said the junta was struggling to recruit people, while police were poorly
02:10 equipped and trained.
02:12 "They surrender fast because there is no proper discipline at the stations. They are always
02:19 drinking alcohol and there aren't enough police members. In actual fighting, they cannot fight.
02:26 They get scared. So they surrender easily."
02:29 The junta didn't respond to Reuters' request for comment, but has acknowledged some loss
02:34 of control. The military, known as the Tatmaw Do, has
02:38 ruled Myanmar for five of the past six decades.
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