Two newly defected soldiers from the military council forces have exposed ongoing human rights violations and torture within the military. According to their testimonies, the military council forces new recruits to fight on the front lines, shoots those who retreat, forces drug use, and subjects soldiers to various forms of abuse and torture. These revelations provide a rare glimpse into the internal operations of the military council’s forces and their treatment of conscripted soldiers.
Maung Aung Thu Htun, from Hlaing Township in Yangon Region, was forcibly recruited through the ward administrator’s porter arrest system and had to attend military training batch 6/2024. He was assigned to Infantry Battalion 79 under Division 99 and served at military outposts in Rakhine State and Ngape Township before defecting to the Arakan Army (AA) in July. Similarly, Maung Nay Lin Aung from Mandalay Region was arrested during his evening return from work and forced into military service, attending training batch 7/2024 before being assigned to the same battalion.
Defector Nay Lin Aung detailed the brutal treatment of new recruits within the military, describing how soldiers are forced to fight on the front lines and face execution if they retreat. He witnessed fellow soldiers being shot for attempting to withdraw from combat positions. Those caught trying to escape face severe punishment, with some soldiers deliberately self-inflicting wounds to avoid combat. These injured soldiers are then denied medical treatment and threatened with imprisonment. The military officers maintain control through fear and brutal disciplinary measures, creating an environment of constant terror among the ranks.
The defectors also revealed widespread drug use within the military, with WY pills available for purchase at 30,000 kyats per pill through logistics units, and BE liquid costing between 30,000 to 80,000 kyats per liter. They also exposed how military officers spread propaganda claiming that the AA would kill defectors, preventing many soldiers from attempting to escape. However, contrary to these claims, revolutionary forces have treated defectors humanely. The military council has been conducting monthly training sessions since April 2024, now reaching batch 15, as they continue to forcibly recruit civilians into their ranks through various coercive measures.
