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MYANMAR – Hla Win, the village adminstrator of Htitan village in Whakhema Township, asking the villagers to pay 6 million kyats if they did not want to serve in the junta council but three young men from the village were forcibly listed in the army without keeping his promise.
Starting from March 13th, Whakhema Township, Ayeyarwady division, there are requests for a list of young men who will serve in the junta military in Htitan Ywarma village. At that time, the village administrator, Hla Win, said that if the people of the village do not want to serve in the military, they will pay 6 million kyats to the army and negotiate. Therefore, the people of the village gathered and quickly sent 6 million kyats kyat. But Hal Win still sent a list of the names of 3 young men from the village to the military headquarters and lied that only the 3 young men would be recruited by the army and the rest would not be included.
The entire village paid 6 million kyats as requested by the village head and the army because they did not want to serve in the military. Even though we paid, they lied to 3 young people in the village. On March 15, a meeting was called in the village. On the morning of March 16, 3 young men from the village were sent to the army. The village head took 6 million kyats and then lied to the villagers that if they paid the money that the army demanded, they would not have to serve in the military. That’s why the villagers collectively saved money. After paying the money, the villagers are reassured. Now the village is not satisfied because they have been cheated but we can’t do anything,” said a local resident.
Similarly, in Kyauktagar Township, Bago division, 14 village group, administrator Myint Soe (aka Kopain) has started collecting 8,000 kyat monthly tax and 20,000 kyat monthly fee from the people of the village with more than 600 houses, a total of 28,000 kyat. An emergency meeting was called to ask for monthly payments.
“The 14th Village Administrator, Kopain, called a meeting to the village and said that the houses that did not go to war must pay 28,000 kyats per month. He said that this is his order and do not complain. There are more than 600 houses. The people in the village are not satisfied. But they dare not say it because they are afraid,” said a villager from the 14 Village.
Similarly, in Taung Ngu Township, Bago division, young people were asked to draw lots for military service, and the young people who can afford to pay money were only in the name list but not included in the draw. It is learned that only young people from poor, low-income families who cannot afford to pay are included in the list to join the army.
“In the name list to draw lots in Taung Ngu City, only poor people who can’t pay are included. The rest of the rich’s children and relatives of administrator are not included. Poor young people are being targeted. It is surprising that the rich people and their communities are not really included. In a rich family with about 5 young men, not even one of them was included in the list to draw lot. If you look at the young people who are forced to draw lot, most are from grassroots level,” explained a philanthropist from Taung Ngu.
The junta council has announced the military conscription law on February 10, and will start recruiting young men to serve in the junta military at the end of April.