In Chin State's Tonzang Township, the resistance-run Tonzang Township Council warned that all young adults aged 16 to 35, both locals and migrants from other regions, will be drafted for mandatory military service, and those who refuse face deportation.
The Chinland Defence Force–Tonzang (CDF-Tonzang) and Chinland Council (CC) coalition will begin drafting young men aged 16 to 35 in Tonzang Township on February 22.
The Defence Department of Chinland has already set a policy stating that mandatory military drafts will cover all units under the department, not just the CDF-Tonzang, department's spokesperson Salai Nai John Kim said. The department is part of the resistance-run Government of Chinland, formed by the CC.
“The Defence Department of Chinland has set policies for drafting new recruits. This isn’t just about Tonzang, these policies apply to all units under the department. Military service is a responsibility of every young person, a duty to do good for our country and our people. We all need to understand this. If we want Chin State and all of Myanmar to be free from the oppressive military dictatorship, we must recognize that this responsibility falls on all of us,” he said.
The Tonzang Township Council announced on February 22 that it will begin military drafts for the CDF-Tonzang, following the first online meeting of the Defence Department of Chinland’s Defense Coordination Team (DCT) on February 14.
The council said the junta is launching large-scale offensives to retake liberated areas in Chin State held by the CC and Chin Brotherhood (CB) Alliance. Two junta columns are reportedly advancing toward Falam Town: one from Kale Town in Sagaing Region, now at Taingen in Falam Township, and another from Waibula Town, which has already approached Falam, the council added.
Salai Nai John Kim said mandatory military service was introduced to enable greater participation of the people in the armed resistance.
“When we take the armed path, we cannot avoid adopting the necessary and right policies. Other armed groups have their own agendas, and we have ours. We must build both our manpower and our ammunition; this is our responsibility. People need to understand that this is a revolutionary period. We need everyone to join the fight, and we especially need the energy and eagerness of our youths. We fight for ourselves, not just to cheer the military successes of others on social media. That’s why we are enforcing mandatory military service, to involve every young person in the armed resistance,” he emphasized.
The Tonzang Township Council further announced on February 23 that it has restricted young people from traveling outside the township to ensure participation in mandatory military service.
Under the council’s regulations, men aged 16 to 35 and women aged 16 to 25 in Tonzang Township are eligible to be drafted into the CDF-Tonzang and CC coalition. The council warned that households refusing to comply could face deportation under laws enacted by the Defence Department of Chinland.
The CDF-Tonzang began conscripting new recruits on February 21. Those drafted include terrace farmers, though the exact number is unknown, and many eligible youths have reportedly fled to India, a spokesperson for the Tonzang Township People's Administration said.
“Both men and women aged 16 to 35 have fled to Mizoram State and Churachandpur District in Manipur State, India. We don’t support the mandatory military draft, but we also don’t want to denounce it, since it’s the policy of the CC. Still, the situation is worrying. These developments began after the CC meeting on February 22,” he told Khonumthung News.
Locals are calling for the CC to revise the minimum age for military service, saying that 16 to 18 is too young and includes many students.
“What we mean is, young people should definitely be involved in the revolution, but if 16, 17, and 18-year-olds are drafted, who will get an education? Who will lead the future of Chin State? What we want to urge is that, if there is a military draft, it should only include those who have passed their matriculation exams or are 19 years old and above. Sixteen-year-olds are still in grades 7 and 8, at a time when education is already disrupted. So, we suggest that young people be allowed to finish their basic education and be exempted from military service,” Tonzang Township People's Administration said.
On Chin National Day, February 20, the CC urged the Chin people to remain in their native land and support the protection of their state in any way they can. The CC’s Government of Chinland also announced that it will raise its defense budget from 65 percent of the total budget last year to 80 percent by 2026.
