New amendments to the conscription law curtailing the rights and movement of young people are a misuse of the country’s human resources that could significantly impair efforts to rebuild the country, according to political analysts.
The conscription law was originally brought in during the rule of former military regime leader U Than Shwe in 2010, but it was not enacted at the time and remained dormant until the coup leader Min Aung Hlaing activated the law on 10 February 2024. Under the law both men and women between the ages of 18 and 35 can be conscripted to serve in the army for between two to five years.
On 23 January 2025 new amendments were added to the conscription law. This banned all men between the ages of 18 and 35, the ages at which men can be conscripted, from leaving the country and declared that they are all eligible for conscription and must now all register for conscription.
Under the new conscription law amendments if people are called up but do not turn up for conscription they can be sentenced to three years in prison and their families can also be investigated and face prosecution.
In cases where the recipient of call up papers has fled abroad the junta is putting immense pressure on their families to make them return and serve in the army.
Throughout the country the junta is also abducting more men than previously and forcing them to serve in the army. In some regions the process of registering women for conscription has also begun for the first time.
Dr. Sai Kyi Zin Soe, a Myanmar political analyst working as a research affiliate at the University of Sydney in Australia criticised the conscription law and its amendments.
He said: “The international community recognises that young people are a vital resource for nation-building and development. The world understands that these young people need to be valued and protected. Using them for political and personal gain is a misuse of human resources.”
U Than Soe Naing, a former member of the Communist Party of Burma and a political analyst said of the conscription law: “It's as if the entire country has been turned into a military prison. The constant threat of every adult being forcibly sent to the frontlines to die looms. Out of a population of over 50 million, nearly 40 million live in fear of being drafted into the war at any moment.”
The junta has already carried out nine rounds of conscription since the conscription law came into effect on 10 February 2024 and the amendments being announced on 23 January 2025.
According to the National Unity Government (NUG) as of 1 January 2025, approximately 23,000 people had been arrested or abducted under the conscription law.
