File Photo: Junta soldiers and ward administrators inspecting the guest list in Yangon.
Mizzima
The junta has been compiling lists of people who are potential candidates for conscription in several Yangon Region Townships.
According to residents, the junta drew up the lists for the Yangon Region townships of Khayan, Hlaing Tharyar, Kyauktan, Thanlyin, South Dagon, and Dagon Seikkan during the second week in March.
A Khayan resident said: “ A team comprising of junta soldiers and ward administrators conducted door-to-door visits to gather information on the men listed as living in each household, on 10 March and 11 March in some wards of Khayan Township.”
According to residents, they were told that young men who are currently in education will be exempt from military service until they graduate from university.
However, a resident from Dagon Seikkan township expressed skepticism, saying: “Although they claim they will postpone the enlistment of students until they graduate, we are dubious given their track record of adhering to laws.”
A resident from Thanlyin, just across the Bago River from Yangon, said: “ A group comprising of junta soldiers and ward administrators conducted inquiries about household registration lists, specifically focusing on the number of men residing in each household. They allocated more time to inspecting houses with male occupants.”
The Myanmar Conscription Law was brought into effect on 10 February, but the junta said that it would only start conscripting people after the Thingyan New Year’s celebrations in April. Despite this, there have been reports of junta soldiers already arbitrarily arresting and deporting young men from the street and during overnight guest list inspections across the country
