CNI News

15 March 2024

Name lists of young people whose ages are suitable for military service are being collected through village administrators. Because of filling out and collecting name ists, anxiety among young people is increasing day after day.

And then, some youths have left for foreign countries; some are going to their relevant EAOs and some, to PDFs, said youths. 

" I want the conscription law to be suspended. Because ethnic armed groups forced their people to serve in the military, parents sent their sons to cities such as Yangon, Mandalay and Sagaing. Now that the government has imposed the conscription law and forced the people to serve in the military like EAOs, we are expelled from the country. No citizen will be hesitant to do a military service.to protect from foreign enemy. We don't want to be sacrificed in the civil war in which our citizens are fighting against one another. We want authorities to understand the future that young people want to be and the attitudes of young people." said a young man in Yangon.

While seeing the form that must be filled out for the military service

The civil war has been breaking out since March, 1948 in Myanmar. EAOs have forced their people to serve in the military during the civil war. Now the Myanmar Tatmadaw has started implementing the conscription law after stating that the law has taken into force on 10th February, 2024.

So, even though armed people are proclaiming that they are building the country, turning a blind eye to the future of youths and the type of country that youths have wanted should be re-examined, pointed out youths.

The Tatmadaw would start enforcing the mandatory military service law at the end of April; the Batch No.1 would be started with a population of 5,000 and 20,000 recruits would be called each year, Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of the State Administration Council, told CNI News.

While seeing the TNLA force

Legal action would be taken against those who joined EAOs and other armed groups, he said.

However, the government cannot take action against those doing military service in the ethnic armed groups. 

Moreover, those who were detained and taken away by the armed groups to force them to do military service were not able to be protected in accordance with the law, pointed out some politicians.