No matter what the Burmese military junta tells the world, it has gone back to recruiting child soldiers. In the process of the mass recruitment into the Burma Army, since early this month in Kachin State, middle and high school students are being forcibly inducted. Such is the fear generated by this that many youth have fled and are in hiding in paddy fields and forests. Machyangbaw village now has only children, women and elders left. The army has threatened to recruit girls now.
Headmasters of four state high schools and a state middle school in Putao district are under tremendous pressure to facilitate recruitment of their schoolboys, residents said.
The Putao, Kawng Kahtawng village based No. 46 Infantry Battalion has demanded that 200 students from Putao State High School be sent over to join the army. The Munglang Shidee village based No. 138 Infantry Battalion has asked for 100 students from Dukdang State High School and 30 students from a joint Dukdang State High School in Lungsha Yang Village. The Machyangbaw Town based No. 137 Infantry Battalion wants 30 students form Machyangbaw State High School, locals said.
On September 3, three high schoolboys from Myachyangbaw State High School- Kumna Brang Awng (18), Shanghkyen Tu Nan (20) and Ahdi Yawshu (22), were detained on the road between Machyangbaw Town and Alang Ga Village and sent for military training in Naypyitaw, the new capital of Burma in a special military aircraft, villagers in Alang Ga said
Such is the apprehension generated by the forced recruitment that a joint Machyangbaw State High School in Nam Kham Village has closed down since early this month. The students are not attending school but are running away from their homes, according to sources in the school.
"Now, all schoolboys and girls including young men and young married men are hiding in paddy fields and forests. Only children, women and elderly men are left in the villages. Parents have to deliver food to the youth in hiding. Some students have been infected with malaria in the forests and had to be sent to the government hospital in Machyangbaw Town", a resident in Machyangbaw told KNG today.
About 200 men belonging to Rawang tribes in Kachin have been recruited by a local Rawang armed group- the Rebellion Resistance Force (RRF) a militia group backed by Burma's ruling junta. It is led by a businessman Tanggu Dang (Ahdang). The RRF has been sent the recruits to Naypyitaw for military training. Two secret trips were made by a military aircraft from Putao early this month, said eyewitnesses.
The RRF was formed in early 2006 in Hkawnglang Hpu areas, 70 miles east of Putao town and the organization receives both financial aid and weapons from the ruling junta, the locals added.
On the other hand, fresh military recruitment of locals by detaining them on roads at night after 8 p.m. is still underway and the administrators (Ya-Ya-Ka) of villages in Putao district have been ordered by local military bases to get hold of the required number of people for the Burma Army, said residents.
There is hardly anymore school boys left in the government high schools in Putao district for recruitment and the schools may be forced to close down, added locals.
The army started the biggest recruitment drive ever in Kachin State since July 18 after the final session of the National Convention began in Nyaung Napyin in Rangoon.
Headmasters of four state high schools and a state middle school in Putao district are under tremendous pressure to facilitate recruitment of their schoolboys, residents said.
The Putao, Kawng Kahtawng village based No. 46 Infantry Battalion has demanded that 200 students from Putao State High School be sent over to join the army. The Munglang Shidee village based No. 138 Infantry Battalion has asked for 100 students from Dukdang State High School and 30 students from a joint Dukdang State High School in Lungsha Yang Village. The Machyangbaw Town based No. 137 Infantry Battalion wants 30 students form Machyangbaw State High School, locals said.
On September 3, three high schoolboys from Myachyangbaw State High School- Kumna Brang Awng (18), Shanghkyen Tu Nan (20) and Ahdi Yawshu (22), were detained on the road between Machyangbaw Town and Alang Ga Village and sent for military training in Naypyitaw, the new capital of Burma in a special military aircraft, villagers in Alang Ga said
Such is the apprehension generated by the forced recruitment that a joint Machyangbaw State High School in Nam Kham Village has closed down since early this month. The students are not attending school but are running away from their homes, according to sources in the school.
"Now, all schoolboys and girls including young men and young married men are hiding in paddy fields and forests. Only children, women and elderly men are left in the villages. Parents have to deliver food to the youth in hiding. Some students have been infected with malaria in the forests and had to be sent to the government hospital in Machyangbaw Town", a resident in Machyangbaw told KNG today.
About 200 men belonging to Rawang tribes in Kachin have been recruited by a local Rawang armed group- the Rebellion Resistance Force (RRF) a militia group backed by Burma's ruling junta. It is led by a businessman Tanggu Dang (Ahdang). The RRF has been sent the recruits to Naypyitaw for military training. Two secret trips were made by a military aircraft from Putao early this month, said eyewitnesses.
The RRF was formed in early 2006 in Hkawnglang Hpu areas, 70 miles east of Putao town and the organization receives both financial aid and weapons from the ruling junta, the locals added.
On the other hand, fresh military recruitment of locals by detaining them on roads at night after 8 p.m. is still underway and the administrators (Ya-Ya-Ka) of villages in Putao district have been ordered by local military bases to get hold of the required number of people for the Burma Army, said residents.
There is hardly anymore school boys left in the government high schools in Putao district for recruitment and the schools may be forced to close down, added locals.
The army started the biggest recruitment drive ever in Kachin State since July 18 after the final session of the National Convention began in Nyaung Napyin in Rangoon.
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