Myanmar armed resistance groups have been inundated with applications following the junta’s enforcement of conscription, as tens of thousands of young adults reject military service under a brutal regime in favor of uniting against it.
Myanmar’s embattled junta enforced the longstanding People’s Military Service Law for the first time on February 10 to bolster its depleted forces. The law mandates at least two years of compulsory service for men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27.
In urgent need of troops amid mounting losses to nationwide resistance attacks, the junta has accelerated the conscription process in the past three months, pushing ahead with a third round of forced enlistment for another 5,000 troops.
“Min Aung Hlaing gave us a choice: serve the military or embrace the revolution,” said Saw Hein.
The 25-year-old resident of Yangon is among the influx of new recruits to the armed resistance since conscription was imposed.
Formerly the operator of a modest mobile phone repair shop, Saw Hein has joined the Thaton People’s Defense Force (TPDF) in Mon State where resistance forces are escalating attacks on junta targets.
He left his family and traveled alone to Mon State just over a week after the conscription law was activated. He is now undergoing training with the TPDF, a unit of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG)’s People’s Defense Force (PDF).
The TPDF training camp currently hosts over 130 new recruits from around the country, all united in their determination to defeat the junta rather than fight for a military accused of widespread atrocities against its own citizens.
The recruits, all aged between 18 and 35, have arrived from major cities like Yangon, Bago, Ayeyarwady, and Mandalay. They come from various backgrounds, including university students, graduates and individuals with established careers.
“Nobody wants to be here [taking up arms]. However, we have no choice except to fight to end this war [waged by the junta],” Saw Hein told The Irrawaddy, speaking through tears.
Also seeing a surge in recruits is the Bamar People’s Liberation Army (BPLA), which is fighting junta troops in Karen and Shan states. Thousands have applied for basic military training with the BPLA since the conscription law was enacted. The group launched its sixth round of training in February and plans more to accommodate the influx of new members.
Cobra Column 2 Venom, a resistance unit comprising members of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and PDF, has accepted over 200 people fleeing conscription.
Most have chosen to join the group, while a few sought shelter before fleeing into neighboring countries.
The new recruits are now receiving training in weapons, basic firefighting, and military strategy, an officer of the Karen State-based group said.
In the west, the Chin National Defense Force (CNDF) has also reported over 200 new recruits since conscription began, primarily from Chin State and neighboring Sagaing Region.
Saw Hein is meanwhile busy training to join the drone unit, a testament to the diverse military capabilities being developed by the resistance.
“We will defeat the junta and then return to Yangon with the other resistance forces,” he told The Irrawaddy.
Over 26,000 young adults have contacted the People’s Embrace, a group formed by military defectors who are helping junta conscripts and soldiers quit their barracks. About 80 percent express a desire to join the armed resistance, the group said.
Ex-army captain Lin Htet Aung of People’s Embrace told The Irrawaddy that they screen the callers and connect them with resistance groups recruiting new members. The exact number recruited via this process is kept under wraps for security reasons.
The influx also presents challenges, with new recruits requiring training, food, medicine, and accommodation. Scrutinizing applicants is also a demanding process. The shortage of weapons and ammunition remains a critical issue for many resistance groups.
Saw Mya, an officer from Cobra Column 2 Venom, also highlighted the financial difficulties many recruits face in traveling to liberated areas.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the armed wing of the Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF), has reported logistical challenges in managing the journeys of young recruits from different parts of the country.
Despite these challenges, TNLA spokesperson Lway Yay Oo noted that the junta’s mandatory service law has inadvertently strengthened the resistance and fueled the popular will to defeat the military.
“The junta’s conscription has ignited the political spirit of the people and has, in some ways, bolstered the revolution,” she said.
