Myanmar's young men live in fear of forced military recruitment

Young and able-bodied men in Myanmar are facing an atmosphere of extreme dread as authorities aggressively enforce military recruitment quotas. In cities like Hpa-An, the capital of Karen state, remaining outside after dark has become an immense risk. Locals report that plain-clothed supporters of the junta are roaming streets to arbitrarily seize young men and drive them into military service. For residents like 26-year-old tuk tuk driver Zaw Min, daily life requires constant vigilance, frequent check-ins with family, and an unwavering fear of being snatched away.

Leaked internal documents reviewed by BBC Burmese reveal that regional authorities have been commanded to relentlessly meet specific recruitment targets. The ruling military junta is currently embroiled in a brutal war of attrition against ethnic armed organizations, pro-democracy militias, and civilian-led resistance movements. Facing mounting battlefield defeats, plummeting morale, and soaring desertion rates, the junta desperately needs fresh bodies to replenish its depleted ranks.

Myanmar has been engulfed in violent civil conflict since February 2021, when the military overthrew the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Years into the conflict, as losses piled up, the regime enacted a strict mandatory conscription law. The legislation mandates that men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 must serve at least two years in the armed forces, with refusal carrying prison sentences of up to five years. Experts describe this policy as one of the most devastating blows dealt to the civilian population since the coup.

The enforcement of these quotas has unleashed a wave of corruption, extortion, and forced abductions. Security forces track the daily movements of young individuals, using statutory eligibility as a pretext to detain people, demand ransom money under threat of imprisonment, and sweep through neighborhoods during guest-list inspections. According to analysts, an estimated 100,000 young recruits have been conscripted through coercion and kidnapping since early 2024. As the dragnet widens, many families are sending their sons abroad or hiding them with distant relatives, leaving those who stay behind to navigate a daily reality of terror and uncertainty.