CNI Interview
16 February 2024
The People's Military Service Law was signed and approved on 10th February 2024 by Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC).
And then, parents and young people are worried so much and the youths are making preparations to go abroad in order to evade military service.
In the same way, some people think that they must do military service at once because a piece of news that everyone has to perform military service soon came to spread.
CNI News contacted and asked the Information Team of the SAC regarding the above-mentioned situations and they have been re-stated.
CNI News: Now that the People's Military Service Law has been imposed, when will the first batch be called? How many months will it take to train the first batch? How many people will be called?
Information Team: Training Course No.1 will be open with 500 people who are eligible to do military service only when necessary preparations and formations have been conducted already.
While seeing Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of the SAC
CNI News: What duties and in which places will the trainees be asked to perform at the end of the training course? For example, will he or she have to perform the military service in his or her native township or the place where he or she is making a living?
Information Team: When the training course is finished, the trainees will have to perform the military service in the region where they want until the period designated.
CNI News: Those who have finished the training - how much salary and ration will they be paid?
Information Team: As the trainees, during course attendance and during military service periods after course, they can enjoy salary, ration and all other benefits like currently serving military personnel.
CNI News: Myanmar is made up of many ethnic groups and there are many EAOs as well. When ethnic people are summoned to serve in the Tatmadaw, if they join their relevant EAOs, how does the SAC plan to proceed?
Information Team: The People's Military Service Law is a law that applies to all citizens. If a citizen evades the law and joins another armed group, he breaks the law. So, he will be taken action against according to existing laws.
While seeing the Ta'ang National Liberation Army(TNLA)
CNI News: How are those studying and working abroad covered by the law? Are they exempt from the military service?
Information Team: Those studying and working abroad can postpone their military service in accordance with the section.15 (a) of the People's Military Service Law.
But when they finish their education and work abroad, they must perform their military service until the period designated in accordance with the section.15 (b) of the law.
CNI News: When the Training Course No.1 is started, will only men be recruited or will men and women be recruited at the same time. When will women be recruited?
Information Team: According to the current plan, only men eligible for military service will be recruited for the Training Course No.1. Women eligible for military service will be recruited starting from the Training Course No.5.
CNI News: As a final question, how many people do you plan to recruit in 2025?
Information Team: 5,000 people eligible for military service will be taken for a training course every month. We have planned to take 60,000 people a year.
