Myanmar society is gripped by fears of escalating civil conflict and alleged violent conscription by the junta targeting armed rebel groups in April. DW interviews a group of Myanmar men who have fled to Thailand to escape the military government's draft.

Naypyidaw

In Myanmar, concerns over increasing civil unrest and the potential for forced conscription into armed rebel groups by the junta have heightened, leading to widespread anxiety among the populace. According to reports, these actions occurred in April, heralding a significant uptick in tension within the country. In response to these fears, a number of Myanmar men have sought refuge in Thailand, fleeing the compulsory recruitment drives enforced by the military government. These individuals have shared their experiences and reasons for escaping, shedding light on the dire situation unfolding in Myanmar and the lengths to which some are willing to go to avoid being conscripted into conflict.

The migration of these men highlights the broader implications of Myanmar's political instability on neighboring countries and the increasing pressure it places on humanitarian resources in the region. The accounts provided by those who fled offer a grim view of the challenges faced by Myanmar's citizens under the rule of the junta, and their actions underscore the desperation and fear pervading those who remain within the country's borders.



Myanmar citizens flee junta's compulsory recruitment

They cross the border at a place like this. The casinos on the Burmese side of the river almost give enough light to navigate by and make it into Thailand. Five young men recently came here this way. One of them calls himself Ang Soe. He prefers to remain anonymous to protect his family back home from arrest. He's fled the draft risking five years in prison and a fine if caught. I don't want to fight my own people. The military is killing people, arresting people. I was arrested as well for no reason and spent a few months in an overcrowded jail. When I heard about the draft I decided to run. Hundreds of thousands of Burmese are already in Thailand. As the compulsory draft looms, increasing numbers of young people are coming. Driven by fear of their own military which are in charge back home and put Ang Sang Suu Kyi in prison. People are being snatched on the streets and forcibly recruited. Young people like us are afraid they might be kidnapped by the military. These people have sent their children abroad or paid bribes to get them off the lists. They got out of Myanmar at this official border crossing into Mae Sot, Thailand. Even though officials monitor men of fighting age trying to leave. Paul Greening, a former senior UN officer says the junta's introduction of conscription reflects its recent losses against a coalition of resistance movements on the battlefield. He says the resistance is rapidly gaining ground but warns of what might happen if they take power. The military victory will overtake the political development and that's what I'm worried about. If that happens and there's not agreements in place, the draft constitution agreed and things like this, there could be internal conflict. The moment they're fighting together and there's unity, they're a common enemy. When the common enemy is gone, there's old animosities, egos, personalities. This could not come up again unless we have systems in place. The young men who have just fled their country suggest opposition to the military government is so strong that forcing people to fight for them will have the opposite effect. If the situation back home gets worse, I will go and join the resistance forces. I think it was a mistake of the junta to introduce this draft law. For now they'll stay here in Thailand in this safe house provided by an NGO. They can only hope for peace and political change on the other side of the border river.

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