Locals report a swift exodus of village, ward, and community administrative officials tasked with enforcing the Junta's conscription campaign in specific townships within Mon State.
Amidst battlefield setbacks, the Junta declared over a month ago its decision to enforce conscription laws, mandating local administrative officials to compile lists of potential conscripts and employ a lottery system for selection.
According to a March 22 report by Data for Myanmar, a research entity, the Junta, grappling with ongoing losses in battles nationwide, has initiated the implementation of a conscription drive spanning 172 townships across the country.
In Mon State, comprising approximately 100 wards, 368 village tracts, and over 1000 villages, there exists a vast network of community administrative officials, the majority of whom are the Junta-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) members or veterans.
The Junta has ordered the administrative officials to compile a list of youths earmarked for conscription in Mon State by the end of March, while resistance forces based in Mon State have issued threats of retaliation against those aiding the conscription efforts.
Caught between the Junta's orders to enforce conscription and threats from resistance forces promising retribution against collaborators, administrative officials have resigned en masse.
Than Lwin Times has learned that administrative officials in various Mon State townships including Kyaikto, Bilin, Thaton, Kyaikmaraw, Thanbyuzayat are swiftly tendering their resignation letters, with officials from remaining townships also closely observing the unfolding situation. Included among those who tendered their resignations were the 100-house-group elders and community leaders.
"The coup leader Min Aung Hlaing is executing his plan without exemption. We have repeatedly warned the administrative officials aiding him. We will act as we have warned, if deemed necessary”, said Saw Dah, the commander of Daw Na military column.
At the same time, the resistance forces are targeting and eliminating administrative officials who are deeply cooperating with the Junta to aid the conscription efforts.
Data acquired by Than Lwin Times indicates that from March 18 to 27, over 20 administrative officials involved in implementing the conscription law across Mandalay, Magway, Sagaing, Bagon regions, and Rakhine and Mon states were eliminated.
