YANGON DIVISION – Local people reported that the ward administration teams asked for bribes of up to 5 million Kyats from the young people who wish to evade the junta council’s first batch of conscription that will start at the end of April to find replacements.
Currently at the wards in Yangon Division, the ward administration teams are said to be leaving out the young people who can afford to pay from the list of military service and prioritising to include those who can’t pay.
At Tunsein Village in Thongwa Township, administrator Htay Kyi (aka) Monedine is said to have asked for 5 million Kyats from the youth who don’t wish to be conscripted and replaced them, giving 3 million to the replacement while Htay Kyi and team pocketed the remaining 2 million.
“There was a drawing of lots for military service at Tunsein Village in Thongwa Township on March 12. Someone called Naing Lin had his name drawn. Village Administration Htay Kyi (aka) Monedine told Naing Lin that he can find a replacement for him for 5 million. 3 million will be given to the replacement while the administration team would pocket 2 million. They then drew lots again,” shared a resident of the village.
The grassroots ward and village administration teams have become an important part of summoning the young people for military service and are taking bribes to find replacements for those who wish to evade conscription or remove their names from the lists completely.
Similarly in Thanlwin Street, Ward 10 of Kamayut Township, rich families have reportedly been bribing the junta administrators so that their children won’t be included in the first batch of conscription.
“At Thanlwin Street in Ward 10, the administrator and the administration team are accepting bribes to make sure those who can afford to pay are not picked. Those who can’t pay on the other hand were added to the list for military service. Up to 14 young men were added that way over at 99/10,” explained a resident.