Mandatory military service for men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27
The military is outnumbered… 14 million people eligible
The BBC reported on the 27th that young people are escaping abroad as the Myanmar military announced forced conscription of adult men and women.
Myanmar’s military announced on the 10th that it would implement a compulsory military service law after the New Year’s holiday Thin Jan (April), mandating all men aged 18 to 35 and all women aged 18 to 27 to serve in the military for at least 2 years and up to 5 years.
The Compulsory Military Service Act was enacted in 2010, but the Myanmar military has maintained a volunteer system until now. This is because many people from military families volunteered to join the military.
If conscription is implemented, approximately 14 million people will be eligible for military service. It accounts for one quarter of Myanmar’s population.
The BBC interpreted the military as trying to stop young people from forming anti-government forces. Myanmar has been under military junta since the military coup on February 1, 2021. To date, thousands of civilians have been detained, tortured, and killed due to the tyranny, and 2.6 million people have been displaced.
The military said that conscription of women has not been confirmed at this time.
However, it is known that the military is experiencing a serious shortage of troops. As a result, suspicions are rising that civilians were kidnapped and forcibly conscripted. It would not be strange if women were conscripted right away.
Accordingly, young people who oppose the military are escaping to avoid conscription. Anti-government activist Robert (24) said, “If I serve in the military now, I will be contributing to the military’s atrocities.”
The BBC reported that hundreds of people flocking to foreign embassies to get visas are creating chaos. At the passport issuing office in Mandalay City, serious accidents such as broken legs, broken teeth, and crushing deaths occurred one after another due to the crowds.
Jason Tower, Burma (Myanmar) country director at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), interpreted this decision as evidence that the military is on the defensive. He pointed out that as the number of people escaping to avoid conscription increases, dissatisfaction with neighboring countries hosting refugees increases, and even if forced conscription succeeds, it will not help improve military morale.
In October last year, the anti-military coalition took control of major areas adjacent to China and India. According to Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NGU), the coalition forces currently have the upper hand, occupying 60% of the territory.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.