By Hsu Latt Phyu - Apr 07, 2024
Rural residents are having difficulties at Twantay Township, Yangon Region as they are extorted after the lottery picked draftees escaped.
The Junta summoned 2 youths per ward or village group from each state and divisions on March 19 as batch 1 of military service. Youths from age 24 to 30 at rural Twantay are also lottery picked to serve in the military.
There were some youths who had to join due to the threats and some uses escape and the village administrator extort money from every households from those villages.
“There are 3 villages in Min Phone Village group. Each draftee escaped and they are asking 50,000 kyats per person in the household registration in Min Phone Village group,” said an informer who don’t want to reveal their name.
Min Phone, Ka Li Htaw and Tha Bout Kha Yar Villages are included in the Min Phone group and 30,000 kyats per household is extorted at Ka Li Htaw 10,000 kyats per household at Tha Bout Kha Yar and the family of the lottery picked draftee have to pay the remaining,” they said. The extort started as soon as the lottery finished.
The villagers said that it is difficult for them to pay for each people who are between 24 and 30 in the household due to financial crisis and lack of employment but they don’t have choice due to the threats.
In addition, two drafted youths escaped from Kan Ywar Village group, Ine Gyi village and the administrator, in charge and warden of the village is asking 60,000 kyats per people who is in the eligible list and the households which don’t have eligible people have to give 30,000 kyats.
“The Ine Gyi administration team even called the military to draft and didn’t even warn the villagers about that to prevent them being escape,” said the source. The villagers are worrying to draft again the next time.
“We heard that they are going to recircuit from 18 to 35 years old including women and women from West Ine Gyi village are starting to recorded. We heard that they will call 10 female in a group,” said a local.
The village in charge U Ko Ko threatened that those who don’t give the money peacefully will be informed to the military.
“The administrator, in charge and warden’s lottery pick youths from 24 to 30 years old and those who get No.1 and 2 have to go first. They made the lottery on 15th and 16th March and more than 100 people from Twantay were sent to a military base in Shan State at 29th. Khayan Gyi villagers have to give 50 lakhs to the military and Tamar Takaw villagers have to recircuit those who will serve by giving 75 lakhs. Some villages are also giving 50 to 200 lakhs,” said another local.
The conscription law was signed by the head of the military council on February 10th, and later on March 29th, the young adults were called up for the 1st batch.
Men between the ages of 18 and 35 will be called up for military service, and it was announced that they would be called up after the Thingyan period, but the military was summoning them up a month in advance.
2 young men were summoned from each village group or ward from each region and state. There was no one to register for military service with consent, so the lottery selection, coercion, and demands for money occurred.
Photo: Soldiers and policemen are shooting at protesters in Twantay City on March 13, 2021.
