Myanmar’s military regime has switched its conscription tactics since the Thingyan traditional New Year, with soldiers now forcibly abducting young men from their homes and snatching pedestrians.
Many people managed to evade the first draft last month, when the regime collected personal details of eligible civilians before sending call-up letters to report at local military offices.
However, junta conscription teams in many regions are no longer giving prior notice, with abductions reported in Magwe, Bago, Yangon and Ayeyarwady regions since April 18. Residents believe the forcible recruitment is for the second batch of conscripts.
The junta enforced the national conscription law on Feb. 10 amid a string of heavy military defeats on multiple fronts across the country.
Burma Affairs and Conflict Study (BACS), a body monitoring junta war crimes, recently reported that the first batch of 5,000 conscripts had been sent to 15 military training centers across the country, starting March 27.
Residents have reported numerous cases of abduction of civilians from their homes in Taungdwin, Myothit, Aunglan, and Natmauk towns in Magwe Region, Shwe Paukkan in Yangon Region, and Paungde in Bago Region. Passersby of conscription age were also seized by junta soldiers in Magwe’s Natmauk and Bago’s Pyu.
In Magwe’s Natmauk town, around 100 junta soldiers and police abducted around a dozen civilians from urban areas on Monday, residents said.
“They went door to door and arrested people on Monday. They even took some people from their workplace,” said one resident, adding that locals were not informed about the conscription drive in advance.
Junta troops also abducted nearly 20 villagers in Taungdwin, Myothit and Aunglan townships, said Magwe residents.
The detainees have been sent to a weapons storage depot 12 miles northeast of Natmauk, according to the Natmauk Township People’s Defense Force.
Around 50 civilians were arrested by teams of junta soldiers, police and immigration staff on April 19 in Bago’s Paungde, according to residents.
“The teams have household registration documents, so they know which households contain conscription-age people. It was a surprise abduction. Last time, people could flee as they were informed in advance. I heard the abductees were taken to hospitals for medical screening, and then to training centers. We have heard no more than that,” said a resident.
Some 80 young people were also arrested on streets in Bago’s Pyu Township on Sunday. Family members sought them at police stations but were not allowed to meet the detainees. Similar incidents were reported in Magwe and Natmauk towns in Magwe Region.
“Young men were seized in teashops and streets in downtown Magwe. Around 50 have been detained since the end of Thingyan. Their parents are still enquiring about their whereabouts,” said a resident.
The regime has become more forcible in conscripting the second batch of trainees, said BACS researcher Ko Min Htet Aung.
Former captain and army defector Lin Htet Aung confirmed the regime had launched its second conscription drive, adding that more cases of abduction would follow.
“The military will use the stick if the carrot does not work. It does not care about legal procedures,” he said.
Junta troops also abducted draft-age people from their homes at midnight on April 19 in Shwe Paukkan Town, Yangon Region, said residents. The number of abductees was unknown.
“They came in cars at midnight. There were soldiers and also people in plainclothes. … I think they were from the administration department,” said a resident.
The regime has announced that nearly 14 million people – over six million men aged 18-45 and nearly seven million women aged 18-35 – are eligible for conscription as per the 2019 census. That amounts to 26 percent of the country’s population of 54 million.
Evading conscription is punishable by a fine and three to five years in prison.
