Sources directly involved with township military recruitment committees have reported that across Myanmar, a new direct recruitment system is being implemented where township offices are now cross-checking village and ward office records with census data to call up youth for military service. The military council claims this new system aims to prevent bribery and the use of substitutes in military recruitment by directly summoning young people and their parents to township military recruitment offices after verifying records from ward/village level administrators and census data.
According to a source connected to township military recruitment committees in Yangon Region, this direct oversight by township committees is intended to reduce widespread instances of extortion and threats during the recruitment process. Similar direct recruitment practices are also being reported in Einme Township, Ayeyarwady Region, where young people from villages are being summoned directly to township military recruitment offices. A youth from Shwebo Yegyaw village in Einme Township explained that previously, military service lottery draws and donation collections were handled at village administrator offices, but now they must report to township offices for registration and lottery draws. Young people aged 18-35 are now going into hiding, facing both livelihood difficulties and unable to safely stay in their homes.
In Kyaukpadaung Township, Mandalay Region, military forces have begun conducting direct recruitment drives in three villages near Nyaung-U Road and Byatta Pan Sate Road after residents failed to report to township recruitment offices. A local resident reported that on February 24, soldiers visited Wakhingyi, Thanpaukpin and Thaytwingon villages, forcing all young people to register and sign up for military service regardless of marital status. The military council is reportedly intensifying youth arrests and summons in late February for their 11th military service intake scheduled to begin in March. This aggressive recruitment drive has caused widespread fear and displacement among young people across the country as they attempt to avoid forced conscription into military service.
