Military training is being forcibly imparted to over 100 local youths by the Burmese Army at a football ground near the industrial zone at the edge of Muse town in northern Shan State.

The month-long training began on August 11. Recently, the deputy in charge of police in Muse recorded the names of the youths in the municipal area of the city for attending training in firefighting. The youths, listed were forced to attend military training, said a local.

"The deputy in-charge of police in Muse picked 10 to 30 people from each ward for training in firefighting. The listed people are forced to attend military training as well. They are worried about their families because the military authorities will pressurize and threaten them if they do not comply," he added.

When the training is being imparted the authorities will provide 500 Kyat to each trainee, he added.

“The authorities also called two to three people from each village. The military training is being held at a football ground, which was built by Soso Pyipyi Lawpan Sai Aik Aye. The football ground was part of the Ho Nar ward in the past. Now it is located in the industrial zone ward," another local said.

Locals have been constantly forced to attend military training in northern Shan State since 2008. Locals are trained as anti-rebel groups and local militias. The army wants them to be hard core members.

After completing their training, the trainees of the anti-rebel groups and local militias have to recruit new members. They are meant to patrol and secure the area along with the military column, and to help in administrative duties.

Political analysts said that locals are forced to attend military training instead of firefighting training. This is systematically arranged by the authorities. If situation arises, the trainees will be made to take up arms to fight people of the same ethnicity.