How Does Myanmar Conscription Law Threaten Young Generation?
Recently, a new law called “the conscription law” has adopted by the State Administrative Council (SAC) led by the military in February 2024. According to that law, all youths between age of 18 to 35 are eligible citizens must join the people military service which led many young people scared and anxious.
In fact, the conscription law which was drafted by the previous military regime in 2010 but it was not adopted and implemented. However, in 2024, it became a law which was recently announced by the military junta that staged a coup in 2021 by detaining the elected democratic leaders. Regarding this law, all citizens range between age of 18 to 35 must serve the military service for at least two years with the possible extension to another five years within an emergency.
The military government’s spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, stated in a statement that was published in the state-run Myanma Alinn newspaper that about 14 million people — 6.3 million men and 7.7 million women — of the 56 million people living in the nation are considered eligible for military duty. Speaking to the BBC’s Burmese language service on Tuesday, he said that the Thingyan New Year celebration in mid-April would be followed quickly by the enlistment of the first set of 5,000 conscripts, among others.
People were astonished when this law was announced, and frustrated social media discussions and comments followed. Some people highlighted that although the conscription law stated that all eligible individuals between the ages of 18 and 35, they will do as they like, they still have complete discretion. Because of this rule, even residents who were not eligible expressed concerns about their safety and future. Of course, the most vocal opponents of the military takeover, Generations Y and Z, are the ones who qualify for this statute.
Another reason why young people are unhappy with the conscription law is moral discomfort; they may believe that if they enlist in the military, they will have to fight back or even kill members of their own community. “I do not want to join the military service because I would have to fight my people, my community,” stated one young person. They could also be afraid of being treated unfairly and cruelly by other soldiers, as they always do at training camp.
At the same time, a lot of missing person instances involving both male and female teenagers and young adults have been trending on social media platforms like Facebook. Many are worried that these disappearances might be connected to rumors that persons were kidnapped by military personnel. Concern over young people being forced to enlist in the military against their choice is rising. This is because the military is now able to enlist people without their agreement according to a new conscription law, which increases people’s fear.
The young generation of Myanmar have been severely affected their future due to the Covid-19 pandemic, political unrest, and economic hardship in the country and doubled loss their education and personal development by this conscription law. Thus, many young people are trying to leave for the country due to the threat of this conscription law. Some people who could afford to go abroad for education by applying for the scholarship while some are trying to flee to neighboring countries by all means and some of them joining the democratic resistance forces.
This conscription law has more general consequences for Myanmar’s future in addition to its effects on the lives of the individual young. Myanmar runs the danger of losing a sizable percentage of its future human resources and skilled labor force due to the thousands of young people who are attempting to flee the nation. The already precarious political and economic conditions in the country may get worse as a result of this brain drain.
People are concerned about what can happen to Myanmar’s brain drain in the future because a huge number of young people are leaving the country. Young individuals with educations and skills who leave the country might result in a significant loss of talent and knowledge, which could eventually harm the growth and prosperity of the nation.
Based on my own experience, when my younger sister tried to apply for a visa at the embassy, she had to get up early and wait in lines outside the embassy starting from 1:00 AM. Most of the time, the office opens at 8:30 AM. It’s disappointing to see things like this happen in Myanmar, where a lot of young people waste their time doing things like waiting in lines for visas from 1:00 AM just to get a token.
Some young people who can’t afford to travel abroad might join the People’s Defense Force (PDF), which is a democratic armed force backed by the National Unity Government (NUG) and works to oppose the military government. However, some people can’t take this route because the military closely watches young people near the border, making it harder for them to contribute to the resistance.
I feel like the lives of young people are like a fine balance, like an ant in a moving pant leg or a grain of salt between two half-beans. They are tired because there is a lot of doubt and not many options for them. Because of this, some people may feel like they have to join the military if they get a letter forcing them to do so. Once these young people join the military, they may be indoctrinated and manipulated in military schools. This is a common way for the military to change people’s thoughts and actions.
If young people are constantly sent to the front lines of war zones instead of being prioritized for education in schools and colleges, our country will run out of educated people and human resources, which will slow down its progress. It’s sad to think that young people might leave for other countries to find blue-collar jobs instead of waiting to join the service. It is very sad to see smart young people being forced to work in low-paying jobs abroad. It shows how hard things are in our society.
In conclusion, the future and general well-being of Myanmar’s youth are gravely threatened by the military’s conscription law. The international world has to demand that this repressive law be repealed in order to show support for the young of Myanmar. Myanmar can only expect to create a better, more affluent future for everyone by defending the rights and dreams of its youth.
In the end, giving young people the tools they need to go to school and fighting for their rights are two of the most important things that can be done to make their lives and society better.
“We cannot build our future without educated young people”
