As Myanmar grapples with increasing criticism over its conscription law, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) has shed light on the impact of the law on the population, particularly in southeastern regions of the country. The contentious law, known as the People’s Military Service Law, has stirred fear, confusion, and dilemma among Myanmar’s youth, prompting denunciations from various quarters.
Initially introduced in 2010, the conscription law lay dormant until February 10, 2024, when it was finally enforced. Mandating all males aged 18 to 35 and females aged 18 to 27 to serve in the military for up to two years, with the possibility of extension to five years, the law has sent shockwaves across the nation.
In response to the implementation of the conscription law, several Naga organizations, including the Eastern Naga National Workers Forum (ENNWF), NSCN-IM, NSCN- KYA, and WC NNPGs, have strongly condemned the move.
In a report titled “Forced to Fight: Military Conscription in Southeastern Burma,” HURFOM has documented the adverse effects of the conscription law on the local population. Released on May 7, the report highlights the distress faced by families amidst the already challenging post-coup situation.
According to HURFOM’s findings, approximately 600 individuals are currently undergoing forced military training in various regions targeted by the organization, including Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region. The junta has reportedly scaled up its recruitment tactics by sending directives to ward and village administrators to send lists of new conscripts.
According to a report by Mizzima, a Burmese news outlet, the recruitment process was set to begin after the annual New Year holidays in April 2024, but HURFOM documentation showed that it started much earlier. This regime is set to enlist 60,000 new troops before the end of the year.
The implementation of the conscription law, according to HURFOM, has triggered a wave of uncertainty among Myanmar’s youths with many abandoning their education, jobs, and seeking refuge in neighboring countries or align themselves with ethnic revolution groups.
Projections for May 2024 paint a grim picture, with estimates suggesting that over 400 new conscripts could be forced into involuntary service within various military units under the junta.
In reality the junta is increasingly losing bases, territory and camps. The conscription law is evidence of their desperation and willingness to put young people’s lives at the forefront of the battlefields. It is also indicative of the Burma Army’s disregard for life and their ongoing sinister intentions to see the derailment of an educated and informed society, according to HURFOM.
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