Residents of Hpakant Township in Kachin State are suffering increasing hardship and anxiety as both the junta and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) forcibly recruit local civilians.
In Hpakant Township, renowned for its jade mines, both the junta and the KIA-led resistance alliance are intensifying conscription drives, sparking panic among local communities, residents said.
“The junta is abducting civilians to force them into military service, and the KIA is also detaining people for the same reason. A lot of people have been taken, some even in broad daylight. Locals are really suffering, not only because they have to flee the fighting, but also because they have to keep hiding to avoid being conscripted,” a Hpakant resident said.
In Hpakant Township, junta troops have tightened security and increased arbitrary arrests since early 2023. The KIA-led resistance coalition sharply intensified its conscription efforts in September and October 2025.
Locals estimated that in areas such as Hsengtaung Village Tract in Hpakant Township, as many as 500 people were forcibly recruited within two weeks. Caught between the conscription drives of two rival forces, residents, especially young people, have been forced into hiding.
Forced conscription has also taken place at jade mining sites and in public areas, with some people even losing their lives while attempting to escape from those trying to abduct them.
Fear of conscription has made many young people reluctant to work, leading to a slowdown in economic activity, including jade mining in Hpakant. Also, many families have seen their livelihoods and incomes severely affected. In Hsengtaung, shops have closed, and many locals are fleeing to avoid conscription.
“The KIA and the junta are using the same methods to forcibly conscript locals. Whenever KIA members show up, all the shops close, and everyone has to hide. I heard there was a recent meeting between local activists and the KIA to talk about stopping forced conscription. That’s good news, but we still don’t know what the outcome will be,” a Hsengtaung resident told NMG.
As the conscription situation worsened, anti-coup activists and pro-resistance networks in Hpakant Township held talks with officials from KIA Brigade 9.
According to a statement released on October 11, the talks aimed to halt forced conscriptions and prevent actions that could tarnish the image of the revolution.
In a letter to the KIA brigade commander, activists urged the KIA to rely on voluntary recruitment rather than forced conscription in its efforts to fight the military dictatorship.
Although the talks were constructive, conscription-related abductions continue on the ground, leaving Hpakant residents feeling unsafe and living in constant fear.
