Junta’s Deceptive Tactics: Kidnappings at Nighttime Festivals in Myanmar’s Mon State

The military junta in Myanmar, now in its ninth round of nationwide conscription since February 10, 2024, has developed increasingly haphazard methods to meet its recruitment goals. Most alarmingly, there are reports that the junta is organizing nighttime festivals in Mon State specifically to abduct young people returning from these events.

Conscription in Mon State Reaches Disturbing Levels

Eight rounds of conscription have already resulted in the enlistment of roughly 1700 individuals from Mon State alone, showcasing the disproportionate impact on this region. Initially, the junta offered financial incentives to lure people into enlisting, but this tactic is becoming obsolete as the number of willing recruits dwindles.

Adverse Effects of Battlefield Losses

Heavy losses on the battlefield have further exacerbated the junta’s manpower crisis. As the Tatmadaw struggles to replenish its ranks, it has resorted to more desperate and often violent measures, such as kidnapping individuals randomly off the streets.

Organized Kidnappings at Nighttime Festivals

According to a resident of Mon State, the junta has taken a brazen step by deliberately arranging nighttime events to lure young people into a false sense of security before abducting them as they attempt to leave the venues. “The situation has worsened recently. The junta has deliberately organized festivals at night, and young people returning from these events are intercepted by junta soldiers on their way home and abducted,” he explained, speaking to Than Lwin Times.

Purchasing Freedom: The Shocking Realities

Young people in targeted regions are forced to confront a harrowing reality. Those who can afford it may be able to secure their release by paying a ransom. Conversely, those who cannot are sent to military training camps, effectively conscripted against their will. Community leaders warn that the junta employs every possible method to recruit and retain as many individuals as possible.

The Junta’s Motivations: Power and Territory

Nai Naga, a spokesperson for the Mon State Revolutionary Force (MSRF), highlight the junta’s dual objectives: replenishing manpower and reasserting control over territories in the north. He cited these goals as evidence that the junta has no intention of relinquishing control.

“The junta is abducting young people to replenish its lost manpower and is also dreaming of retaking the territories it lost in the north. From this, it seems the junta leaders will not easily give up the power they have illegally seized. I want to say that they are using the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) for their own interests,” Nai Naga emphasized.

Mass Exodus: The Human Cost of Conscription

The cycle of conscription has fueled a unprecedented wave of migration. Large numbers of young individuals across Myanmar, including those from Mon State, are fleeing the country or seeking shelter in areas controlled by resistance groups, driven by a desperate need for freedom and safety.

The Consequences of Refusal

The conscription law mandates that men aged 18 to 45 and women aged 18 to 35 serve in the military for 2 to 5 years. Refusal results in severe penalties, including imprisonment, fines, or a combination of both, perpetuating a cycle of coercion and fear.

Burma Affairs and Conflict Study (BACS) Report

According to BACS, the junta conscripted at least 21,000 people during the first five conscription rounds, from February to September 2024. Approximately 13,000 individuals from the first three rounds have already been deployed to the frontlines, highlighting the growing military presence and the escalating human cost.