A new military recruit named Htet Si Thu from Infantry Battalion 112, who was forced into porter service and later conscripted into the military council’s Aung Zeya column, has defected to the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). The soldier was initially captured as a civilian porter by military council troops and subsequently sent to Recruitment Center 910. He was then transferred through Hpa-Saung before being assigned to Infantry Battalion 112 under Military Division 55.
Describing his experience, Private Htet Si Thu revealed how the military council forces civilians into porter service and conscripts them into military service against their will. He also disclosed the conditions within the military council’s forces, where superior officers threaten to execute soldiers who attempt to defect to revolutionary forces. The threats included warnings about shackling soldiers with iron chains and sending them to the frontlines regardless of their age or readiness for combat.
However, after defecting to the revolutionary forces, Htet Si Thu reported being treated like family, with all his basic needs being properly addressed. He emphasized the stark contrast between the military council’s treatment of soldiers and the humanitarian approach of the revolutionary forces, noting the complete absence of violence or intimidation in his current situation. He is now continuing to work alongside revolutionary forces in their efforts to end the military dictatorship system. The defector’s testimony provides insight into the coercive recruitment practices of the military council and the improving conditions for those who choose to join the resistance movement.
