Myanmar’s junta has ordered military-owned garment factories to begin mass-producing army uniforms by April, following its activation of the national conscription law which requires men aged 18-45 and women aged 18-35 to serve two to five years.
The regime has announced the call-up will begin after the Thingyan holiday in April, with up to 5,000 people drafted in each intake.
The defense ministry has instructed military-owned textile and garment factories to supply over 100,000 sets of army uniforms for conscripted recruits and militias.
The military has garment factories in Hline and Mingalardon townships in Yangon, Meiktila in Mandalay Region, Pyinpongyi in Bago Region, and Pwintbyu in Magwe region.
The garment factories received the orders for uniforms last week, according to their employees.
The military-owned factories in Yangon started producing military uniforms on Feb. 16, one employee told The Irrawaddy.
“Fabric rolls arrived on Feb. 14 and 15 and we started production on Feb. 16. We are making two types of garment – army uniforms and militia uniforms. We have to make over 10,000 sets of uniforms. They are likely intended for the first intake,” he said, speaking anonymously over safety concerns.
The factory is supposed to hand over 5,000 sets of militia uniforms and another 5,000 military uniforms by the end of April, added the employee.
The military-owned garment factory in Bago’s Pyinpongyi is also making militia and military uniforms. The factory was opened in January 2022 on the instructions of junta boss Min Aung Hlaing, who said it would create jobs for family members of military personnel.