Administrators imposes monthly extortion fee on villagers for compulsory military service

August 22, 2024

HURFOM: Since May, 2024, some village or ward Administrators in Chaung Zone Township, Mon State have been imposing a monthly extortion fee on villagers claiming they must support conscripts for compulsory military service. The Administrators claim this is a direct order from the Director of Chaung Zone Township General Administration Department, U Zaw Win Nine Win.

“He said it’s a direct order from the Director and forced us to make a compulsory contribution. Each household started to pay 10,000 MMK three months ago,” said a Chaung Zone resident.

Since the conscription law was passed, there have been 4 batches of conscripts that have undergone compulsory military training. Chaung Zone Township has sent the largest number of the conscripts.

“The majority of the first and second batches were from the Chaung Zone. The Mon State Chief Minister is native to Chaung Zone Township so he put a lot of pressure (on local administrators) to send a huge number of candidates,” said a source close to the military junta.

Since February 10th, 2024 when the Public Conscription Law was activated by the junta, each family in Chaung Zone Township who have children 18-years of age and above must pay 8,000 or 10,000 MMK monthly to hire substitutes for their compulsory military service.

The Mon State has more than 1,1000 villages or wards and the military junta has pressured all village or ward administrators to send at least one candidate from one village for each batch of compulsory military training.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News