Mizzima
Myanmar military veterans up to the age of 67 will have to serve in the military for a minimum of three years or they will lose their pensions, according to a Myanmar junta announcement.
Under the Reserve Forces Law veteran officers and soldiers, whether they retired or resigned their positions, will have to rejoin the army and serve in the military reserve force if they pass the military medical exam.
Any former soldier who is summoned to serve in the reserve force must serve a minimum of three more years of full-time service. Anyone who wishes to can extend their three-year term of service by one year up to two times, meaning that those who want to can serve up to five years.
This means that people who are recalled at the age of 67 will have to serve until they are at least 70 and could, if they want to, continue serving until they are 72 years old.
Returning veterans under 55 years of age will have to serve on the frontlines like all other soldiers. Those aged from 55 to 72 years of age will have to instead work at military headquarters and bases or as security guards, according to the Reserve Force Regulations.
The returning reservists will be paid their military wages whilst also still receiving their military pensions.
But, any veterans who refuse to serve after receiving a summons to serve will have the payment of their military pensions suspended.
“This is a very authoritarian and rude action. These old retired soldiers have served in the army for many years”, said a representative of the People’s Embrace, an independent revolutionary organisation that helps people who want to leave the junta army and police forces. “It seems very rude to cut their pensions if they don’t return”, the representative added.
They explained that people who have already served in the Myanmar military know how hard it is to leave after they start serving in the army, so they will try to avoid being re-enlisted, in the same way as youths are trying to avoid conscription.
“I have heard from pensioners who do not want to serve again because or their age and because they have no interest [in serving again]. Now they are starting to contact us to find out how to evade it [having to serve again]”, said the People’s Embrace representative.
The junta promulgated the Reserve Forces Law on 13 February 2024, three days after it activated the Conscription Law on 10 February.
