A number of youngsters in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State in northern Burma had a run in last week on November 20 with a soldier from the former military base of the Burmese Army's Infantry Battalion (IB or Kha-La-Ya) No. 29 in Zi Lun (Zion), a local source said.
According to a resident in Zilun, six youngsters have been detained at No.2 police station in the township while the youth in a quarter are being closely watched by the army.
The youngsters were drunk on that particular night and saw a soldier alone on the street. They beat him up while other soldiers were searching for their missing colleague.
Meanwhile, the Burmese Army is using the former IB No. 29 base as a military training and recruiting camp and most soldiers being recruited seem to be child soldiers under 18, said an eyewitness.
Fresh military recruitment is being done secretly and regularly in the township in different ways from among married men and young people from ages below 18 by the Burmese Army.
The Burmese Army's IB No. 29 moved to Pa-La-Na village, over seven miles from north of Myitkyina in 2006. Earlier they were based in Zilun quarter in the township.
