MYANMAR – The terrorist junta council has been persuading university students to join the military while students receiving government stipends are being pressured with compulsory military service, according to university students.
The junta council has been holding talks about the militia conscription law in university campuses and drawing university students to join the military. One such recruitment drive was reportedly done at Kyaukse University in Mandalay Division of February 28.
On the other hand, students receiving government stipends have been summoned for military service and were threatened that they have to pay compensation of 8 million Kyats if they were to postpone service.
According to the latest reports, the junta council’s Ministry of Education is reported to have told the stipend students from Pathein University, Maupin University, and several universities in Mandalay Division to submit applications for military service conscription that will begin in April.
“University students from poor families who are receiving or received government stipends in Ayeyarwaddy Division were persuaded to join the military and told that if they were to postpone the summon, they have to compensate 8 million Kyats. The stipend is barely 30,000 Kyats per month. Both the students and parents are in trouble,” said an acquaintance of a stipend student from Maupin University.
Similarly, university graduates who received stipends were also said to have been informed by the ward administration teams to submit applications in April when military conscription begins.
“The township and ward administration teams sent notices to all the youths who graduated from the universities in Mandalay after receiving stipends to submit applications for military service. They can’t not apply. It is said to be compulsory,” said a youth from Taygyi Village in Amarapura Township, Mandalay Division.