The Pa-O National Organization (PNO) has been enforcing military conscription in its controlled territories since mid-2022. As of now, recruitment is still ongoing, with weekly basic military training courses ranging from Week 1 to Week 7 already completed.
Previously, families were required to pay 350,000 kyat per household to avoid conscription. Those who could not afford to pay had family members forcibly drafted into military service. Currently, recruitment efforts continue, with local villagers being charged 300,000 kyat, while those residing abroad are being required to pay up to 1 million kyat, according to a resident from Naung Kyaw village tract, Hsihseng Township, who is currently in Thailand.
“They are now demanding more money than before, requiring 350,000 kyat per household. If a family is unable to pay, one of its members is conscripted into military service. One of my friends was taken under this policy. Currently, the practice continues, and my family was also compelled to pay. We have to pay 1 million kyat per year. For those residing in the village, the charge is 300,000 kyat per household, while individuals living abroad are required to pay 1 million kyat,” he explained.
Following the battle for control of Hsihseng, the PNO has intensified its conscription efforts. Although the official age range for conscription is said to be between 18 and 35, reports indicate that this is not strictly followed. Young children have also been seen on the frontlines, according to a leader from the Pa-O Youth Organization.
“In reality, they are conscripting people between the ages of 18 and 60. Some are even under 18. In the military training given in Pinlaung in 2024, even students who hadn’t finished school were being recruited. Their main justification is that everyone should undergo military training. That’s why many underage youths are included. The recruitment of child soldiers should not exist in any group. According to international law, it is illegal. Recently, we have even seen underage children being sent to the frontlines. Some of them were captured on video. In the eastern part of Hsihseng, we found that some of the deceased were just 14 or 15 years old,” he said.
A 20-year-old student from Naung Kyaw village tract, currently studying at a IDP camp on the border, stated that their village is being pressured for military service, and those who do not return must pay a fee.
“They are summoning people to return and serve in the military. Those who are unable to return are required to pay a fee. My family informed me that I must pay 1 million kyat. However, I am not currently employed; I am studying at a refugee camp near the border. I have submitted a request for an exemption, but I have yet to receive a response. Communication with my family is also difficult because internet access is very limited on their side,” he said.
In households where only elderly individuals or women remain, military service is often impossible, leading them to pay the fee or hire someone else to serve in their place, according to the Pa-O Youth Organization.
For youth living abroad, instead of returning to serve in the military, they mainly choose to pay the fee. The amount and timing of payments vary depending on the village and the decisions made by village leaders, according to reports.
