YESAGYO, Myanmar — 11 April, 2026 By Ra Wai
A local resistance group in central Myanmar has announced a temporary travel ban and the closure of all entry points into the town of Yesagyo, in an effort to prevent the public from attending a water festival organized by the military junta.
The Yesagyo Township People’s Defense Organization (PDO/PaKaPha) stated that from April 13 to April 17—the period of the traditional Thingyan festival—no vehicles will be permitted to pass through the town’s primary access routes. The move is a direct challenge to the military’s attempt to project an image of normalcy amidst an escalating civil war.
The military administration is reportedly planning a large-scale celebration featuring dance troupes at a major intersection on the road connecting Yesagyo with the regional hubs of Pakokku and Mandalay.
“The junta is trying to use this festival for propaganda,” a spokesperson for the Yesagyo PDO told MPA. “While they are launching airstrikes and ground offensives on villages every day, they want to host a grand party in the town. This is unacceptable. Our closure of the roads is a clear message for people to stay away from these events.”
The resistance group warned that individuals who defy the travel ban or choose to participate in the state-sponsored festivities do so at their own risk. “We will not take responsibility for any consequences faced by those who do not comply with our directives,” the spokesperson added.
Exceptions will be made for emergency health services, provided that residents coordinate with local resistance officials in advance to secure safe passage.
Since the 2021 coup, the Thingyan festival—once a time of national unity and celebration—has become a flashpoint for political dissent. Pro-democracy activists have consistently called for “Silent Strikes” and boycotts of military-run events, arguing that celebrating while the country is under military rule is a betrayal of those killed and imprisoned by the regime.
As the junta prepares its stages and loudspeakers in Yesagyo, the surrounding rural areas remain under the shadow of conflict. The PDO’s blockade represents a growing trend in central Myanmar, where resistance forces increasingly control the access to urban centers, effectively hemming in the military’s administrative hubs and turning festive sites into zones of potential confrontation.
