The military council has announced plans to conduct a lottery draft for the 12th batch of military service starting in April, targeting all young people from various wards in Mandalay city, according to local residents. The selection process, scheduled for December 31 this year, will involve drafting eligible young men for public military service in accordance with military service regulations. Ward administrators have been distributing notices, and announcements are being made via loudspeakers throughout the city. A resident from Maha Naing Sin Ward in Maha Aung Myay Township confirmed that the draft lottery will be implemented across all wards in Mandalay.
The military service selection process requires either the young people themselves or a family member to participate in the lottery drawing. If neither the youth nor their parents appear for the draft, a member of the military service recruitment team will conduct the drawing on their behalf. This situation has caused significant anxiety among young people and their parents, with many families considering fleeing their homes. The military council initiated its first batch of military training in May 2024, and this upcoming draft marks the 12th batch of recruits.
The forced military recruitment by the military council has placed immense psychological pressure on youth and their families, who are deeply concerned about their future. Some families are planning to relocate to other regions to protect their children from being drafted into military service. These actions by the military council not only violate the human rights of civilians but also severely impact the education, employment opportunities, and family lives of young people. The implementation of forced military service has created a climate of fear and uncertainty among Mandalay residents, disrupting the social fabric of communities and forcing families to make difficult decisions about their safety and future.
