Myanmar's military is facing a recruitment crisis and battlefield losses against armed groups, prompting plans to enforce conscription laws to replenish its declining manpower. Starting in April, the military aims to draft all men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27, with doctors and professionals potentially serving until the age of 45. The goal is to recruit approximately 60,000 individuals by the end of the year.

The 2021 coup, which ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, has triggered a brutal civil war between the military and ethnic minority armies. Operation 1027, a six-month-old campaign, has inflicted significant defeats on the ruling generals, leading to a depletion of resources and manpower.

The activation of the conscription law is seen as a desperate move by the military, aiming to boost morale on the front lines. However, experts doubt its effectiveness, suggesting that new recruits may be ineffective fighters and could end up as “cannon fodder.”

UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, has reported instances of young men being "kidnapped" off the streets by the military. The New Myanmar Foundation, based in Thailand, reveals soldiers and police raiding teashops across the country in search of conscripts.

The conscription drive is expected to trigger a mass exodus, with people fleeing to remote borderlands or neighboring countries like Thailand, India, and China. The UN rapporteur warns that the number of people leaving Myanmar will "surely skyrocket" due to the draft.

Activists, journalists, and others targeted by the military crackdown have been fleeing the country since the coup. The conscription plan is likely to intensify this trend, turning a stream of political migrants into a flood. Observers at the Thai border report a surge in the number of people arriving, with Thailand capping the daily number of visa applicants due to overwhelming demand.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has issued a warning against illegal border crossings, threatening legal action. However, many individuals, including human rights workers, are making plans to escape, legally or illegally, to avoid serving in the military accused of waging an indiscriminate war that has caused civilian casualties and displaced millions.

BOB Post