Junta Forces Families in Thanbyuzayat to Draw Conscription Lot on Behalf of Sons Abroad, Threatens Legal Action for Non-Compliance

June 26, 2025

HURFOM: Thanbyuzayat, Mon State – Fear is spreading across nearly every ward and village in Thanbyuzayat Township, as families are being summoned by local administration offices and pressured to draw conscription lottery lots on behalf of their sons, many of whom are currently working or living abroad.

According to residents, on the morning of June 26, the township authorities called on households with males of military service age listed in the family census to report to the local administration office. Even if the young men are overseas, families were told they must draw the military draft lots on their behalf. If the lot is drawn, and the son fails to return to Myanmar to fulfill military service, the Township Administration has threatened legal consequences.

A resident told HURFOM:

“We were called to the office at 10 AM and told we had to draw a lot. There’s no option to refuse. If the lot is drawn, and the son is abroad, we were told we must bring him back to serve. If not, parents will be prosecuted, and the son will be declared a fugitive under a sealed warrant. Everyone here is terrified of what could happen next.”

The threats are reportedly coming directly from township administrators and conscription committees. In some cases, families were warned that if they could not present a substitute conscript, they would need to pay 3 million MMK (~USD $1,429) to hire a replacement. One official even explained this as the only way to avoid legal action under the People’s Military Service Law.

“They said if your son is abroad and doesn’t come back, we’d have to pay 3 million MMK to find a substitute. If not, we’ll be held responsible. If we can’t find someone to take his place, they’ll punish us under the conscription law,” said another resident.

According to HURFOM sources, these forced obligations have extended to families of overseas workers, migrants, and students. In all cases, families are being forced to take responsibility for their sons’ service, regardless of whether they are still in Myanmar or not.

A local conscription committee member told HURFOM:

“Even young men abroad are included in the draw list, based on household registration data. If the lot is drawn, someone—a parent, relative, or a member of the conscription committee—must come and draw for them. If they fail to do so, or if the conscript doesn’t return, authorities will prosecute the parents and declare the son a fugitive.”

Residents said the system is based entirely on the national census and targets all males between the ages of 18 and 35. In Thanbyuzayat and surrounding villages, administrators under junta control have adopted a sweeping approach: every household with an eligible male must participate in the draw.

“It doesn’t matter if the young man is actually here or abroad. They use the household list and force families to draw. If the lot is drawn, the family gets a letter. If the person doesn’t come back, they’ll face charges,” said a conscription team member.

People are growing increasingly concerned that the junta will start enforcing the use of replacement conscripts or demanding large sums of money from families with no alternative. Those who fail to comply are being told their sons could face restrictions on renewing passports or may be listed as fugitives, subject to arrest and prosecution under the military service law.

The families of young men working abroad are now caught in a painful dilemma: they cannot afford to pay a replacement, nor can they compel their sons to return to a dangerous and unpredictable military service. The junta’s coercive tactics, including threats of arrest, legal action, and fines, are sowing fear and confusion among already vulnerable communities.

This latest strategy—targeting migrants and their families through forced proxy conscription—reveals the Junta’s ongoing desperation to replenish its military ranks. Rather than respecting the dignity and freedom of its citizens, the military is deepening its use of coercion, threatening legal punishment, and turning civilian census data into a tool of repression.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News