"Burmese army forcibly conscripted 70 thousand, including minors"

According to the Myanmar Bar Association, conscription violates human rights: “Crime against humanity”. Enacted by the junta in 2024, the controversial law was followed by an aggressive campaign involving coercive practices and extortion. Revolutionary fighter from Sagaing: ‘Out of 200 soldiers, 50 are real’. Corruption in institutions has increased for economic gain.

Yangon (AsiaNews) - Myanmar's coup junta, through its controversial national military conscription law, has forcibly recruited about 70,000 new soldiers, according to a statement released in recent days by the Bar Council. The law, enacted without any legitimacy, has led to widespread human rights violations, including the recruitment of minors and the erosion of the right to security of citizens.

Originally drafted in 2010 under the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) but never enacted, the military service law was activated by the junta on 10 February 2024. Since April 2024, the junta has conducted 14 rounds of recruitment, enlisting approximately 5,000 people per round, for an estimated total of 70,000. The Myanmar Lawyers Council reports that these recruits include minors, raising concerns about the use of child soldiers, a practice that violates international law.

The junta's aggressive recruitment campaign has involved coercive practices such as village lotteries, forced conscription and extortion. Civilians are also often required to pay bribes to avoid conscription or to secure the release of conscripts in detention. In particular, the children of high-ranking junta officials are reportedly exempt from these recruitment operations, highlighting systemic inequality.

A revolutionary fighter from the Sagaing region, identified as Comrade Rahu, told the Myanmar Press Agency (MPA): "So far, we have seen 13 rounds. In their military columns, out of 200 soldiers, perhaps 50 are real soldiers and the rest are poorly trained conscripts. They have neither combat skills nor morale because they were forcibly recruited. When we fire a few shots, they panic and scatter.‘ ’We are not afraid of them, but some end up becoming loyal to the junta," Comrade Rahu continued.

According to revolutionary fighters on the ground, the junta's strategy often involves air and drone strikes followed by ground assaults led by conscripts. This tactic has intensified the suffering of civilians, and forced recruitment practices have further undermined the rights of the people of Myanmar, particularly children.

Corruption has also increased, with reports of junta officials exploiting the conscription process for personal gain, especially financial. A 50-year-old woman from Hlaingthaya Township, Yangon, told the MPA: "I know someone whose husband left the police to become an administrator in the Ayeyarwady region. He collected “enlistment fees” from people and lived a lavish lifestyle thanks to their tears. I cut ties with him because of this."

The Myanmar Lawyers Council states that the conscription law, enacted without legitimate authority, violates existing law and constitutes a crime against humanity. Those forcibly recruited and their families are considered victims, and the enforcement of the law is an illegal and oppressive act.

The crisis caused by compulsory military conscription has prompted many young people in Myanmar to flee across the border, particularly to Thailand, in search of safety. Nicolas, a migrant humanitarian worker in Thailand, commented: “Young people crossing the border into Thailand because of conscription is a real and growing problem. In Thailand, some authorities are also engaged in extortion, targeting Myanmar workers for money. These young people are in grave danger, facing language barriers and exploitation in neighbouring countries, with little chance of protection.”

The Myanmar Bar Council has called for international action to address the illegal conscription practices of the coup military junta and hold the perpetrators of these human rights violations accountable. As this latest crisis deepens, young people in Myanmar face growing threats to their safety and future.