MYANMAR – The terrorist junta council enacted the civilian conscription act under which conscription evaders and people encouraging evasion can be imprisoned and, the authority of drafting teams is increased.
The act, enacted on January 23 by the junta Ministry of Defense, consists of ten chapters, 59 principles and 12 provisions, and defers authority to the central drafting team and its subordinate groups.
Chapter 1 of the act covers titles and definitely, Chapter 2 covers the conscription period and eligible age calculation, Chapter 3 covers the forming of drafting teams and their duties, Chapter 4 covers the collection and registration of draftees, Chapter 5 covers medical test, exemption, reduction and delayed conscription, Chapter 6 covers the summons, Chapter 7 covers the forming of medical examination boards and their duties, Chapter 8 covers the benefits awarded to conscripted soldiers, Chapter 9 covers military lobbying and Chapter 10 covers general principles.
Under the conscription act enacted by the terrorist junta council, the central drafting team and its subordinate groups have the authority to issue necessary orders, instructions and rules, and all young people eligible for conscription are required to serve in the military while conscription evaders and their accomplices can be sentenced to prison.
In addition, all young people eligible for conscription will be required to get guarantee certificates from drafting teams when travelling or leaving the country. The reduction, postponement and exemption will be awarded by the drafting teams as well and all young people who don’t have their conscription reduced, postponed or exempted are required to serve in the military.
Young people between 18 and 35 years old who failed to serve in the military can be sentenced to 3 years in prison, fined or both while those evading conscription can be sentenced to 5 years in prison, fined or both. Those helping the conscription evaders can also be sentenced to one year in prison under the conscription act.
The junta council’s conscription act defined conscription eligible as men over 18 and under 35; women over 18 and under 27; skilled men over 18 and under 45 and skilled women over 18 and under 35.
