The Myanmar military junta is forcibly recruiting hundreds of young people into the military as part of a second round of conscription efforts, according to residents, local resistance groups, and a junta recruitment official.
This follows the junta's activation of the national conscription law in February, a move seen as an attempt to address manpower shortages amidst ongoing conflict with various resistance groups.
An official from the junta's Yangon Region recruitment team said that recruiting efforts are underway, stating they aimed to enlist 300 individuals. The junta has established recruitment teams across Myanmar's regions and some ethnic states.
According to Burma Affairs and Conflict Study (BACS), a group monitoring junta war crimes, the first conscription round saw roughly 5,000 individuals sent to military centers nationwide in late March. Reports of forced recruitment and abductions from homes during this initial phase have emerged.
The enforcement of conscription, coupled with reports of forced recruitment, has prompted many young people to flee Myanmar.
For the second round, the junta reportedly began recruiting in Bago Region in early May.
On May 8, an estimated 300 new conscripts were reportedly transported from Bago to Yangon, possibly for training. This information comes from thje region’s Pyay District People Defense Force who estimates 20-25 individuals were crammed into each of the 12 military trucks used for transport.
There are also reports of village administrators negotiating with junta officials to avoid conscription in their villages. This alleged deal involves monthly payments of 100,000 kyats ($47) for households with male members and 50,000 kyats for those without.
The exact number of individuals being conscripted in the second round remains unclear. The Irrawaddy attempted to obtain details from the junta's Central Recruitment Team but was directed to a Telegram channel instead. Based on images posted on this channel, it is estimated that 200-300 people per region are being targeted.
While recruitment centers exist in all regions, Mon, Shan, and Rakhine are the only ethnic states with such facilities. Notably, Kachin, Karenni, Karen, and Chin states, where ethnic armed groups control most territory and the junta has faced military setbacks, lack recruitment centers.
BACS reports junta efforts have concentrated on Yangon, Mandalay, Ayeyarwady, and Naypyitaw regions, along with southern Shan State, rather than areas with intense fighting.
The forced conscription campaign raises concerns about human rights violations and the junta's desperation in the face of ongoing resistance.