“They [the Burma Army] try to spread propaganda. Every day, they say good things about themselves to make us believe them. It is like brainwashing. They try to put false information into our brains. They use all kinds of methods to [make people] obey their orders. They threaten us that they will shoot us dead if anyone runs away. When I was attending military training, someone tried to run away. Finally, they were able to arrest him. Then, they asked all trainees to beat him. 200 trainees beat him up. After that, they detained him. It was very bad. We could not even recognize his face [as a result of the beating]. They made him an example so that other trainees would not dare to run away.”
- Maung[2] Q---, a former Tatmadaw[3] soldier who escaped after being forcibly recruited
On 1 February 2021, the Burma Army forcibly seized national power [in a military coup] after accusing the National League for Democracy (NLD),[4] which had won a landslide victory in the 2020 general election, of voting fraud. The people did not accept this action. As a result, widespread protests occurred across the country.[5] In response, the Burma Army tried to crack down on protestors by using police force, but the protests continued. Finally, they used violence and lethal weapons to suppress and crack down on the protestors, which resulted in deaths and injuries. Therefore, young people and politicians bear no more patience with the actions of the Burma Army.
To continue to resist against this injustice, educated young people and politicians have sought refuge in areas, controlled by ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), which have been fighting against the dictatorship for many years. As the Burma Army continued to oppress, arrest, and imprison protesters, youths and politicians who sought refuge in ethnic areas gathered to take up arms to fight back the Burma Army. As a result, weekly military training courses were provided to youths and politicians in many places in ethnic areas. Then, the People’s Défense Force (PDF)[6] was established. The number of PDF troops increased year by year, and they joined the EAOs in various regions as they fought back against the Burma Army. The combined forces of the PDF and EAOs fought the Burma Army with a strong desire to win. As a result, the Burma Army lost many of their army camps in different areas.
This became a threat to leaders of the Burma Army. The army became increasingly demoralized and its strength declined. To address this situation, the Burma Army’s leaders issued a conscription law [in 2024] as an emergency [measure]. On the other hand, the number of young people who joined the Burma Army after the 2021 coup decreased significantly because the Burma Army has been unjustly arresting and imprisoning protesters; therefore, the people do not support them. After the Burma Army issued the conscription law, many young people sought ways to escape military service by going abroad or fleeing to the EAOs in ethnic areas.
When they Burma Army implemented this law, they extorted, threatened, and imprisoned people whether or not they were on the conscription list for military service. In addition to these unjust actions, many soldiers from the Burma Army were killed in battles. It does not matter how quickly they were replaced; they have not been replaced [quickly] enough. Therefore, the Burma Army has been using force and violence against the will of the people, such as arresting passengers and travellers, and even entering civilians’ homes to arrest without warning or prior notice. Among them, Maung K--- and Maung Q--- were also forcibly recruited. In April 2026, these two men escaped to ethnic areas in Hpa-an Township, Doo Tha Htoo (Thaton) District, controlled by the Karen National Union (KNU).[7] They surrendered to Brigade (1) of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA).[8]
First incident: Maung K--- (people’s militia); Military ID number: XXX [Censored for security purposes]
Maung K--- is a villager from Kk--- village, Kk--- village tract,[9] Longlon Township, Tanintharyi Division. One evening in September 2025, at 5 pm, he returned home from his work. When he was about to eat dinner, a car full of soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB)[10] #401 came to his house and they entered his house. Then, they arrested him. At the time he was arrested, it was a time when the Burma Army had begun to recruit new soldiers for the 17th batch of People’s Military Service Training. When soldiers from LIB #401 arrested Maung K---, they hit his face twice with the butt of MA-1 gun. Then, they took him to LIB #401 army camp in Dawei Town.
Maung K--- told KHRG about his experience when he was arrested, saying: “I went to work in the village. I came back home at around 5 pm. Then, they entered my house. They arrested me. […] I had not taken a shower yet. I was about to eat dinner. Then, they pointed their guns at me, and they arrested me. […] Then, they hit me twice with a gun. After that, they dragged me to their car. Then, they took me to LIB #401 army camp in Dawei Town. […] At first, I did not know why they arrested me. I also did not expect that they would arrest me. I was just busy with my work all day. So, I did not know why they arrested me.”
Maung K--- was detained at LIB #401 army camp in Dawei Town for four days. After that, he was sent to a recruitment centre in Myeik Town [Mergui-Tavoy District] by a military ship. He was held in the centre for over a week. Then, he was again transported to a higher military training school (#12) in Palaw Town [Mergui-Tavoy District] by a military ship. He had to attend a military training in the school for four months from September 2025 to January 2026. After he attended the military training for four months, he was asked to take a break for two weeks. After this, he was sent to Light Infantry Division (LID)[11] #44 army camp in Kyaikto Town, Mon State [in Doo Tha Htoo District], with a military ship. He had to attend a military refresher training in the LID #44 army camp for two weeks. Then, he was sent to the frontlines in the Kone Tai area in Kawkareik Township, Karen State [in Dooplaya District]. He was assigned to serve as a security guard at the frontlines.
He stayed at the frontlines in the Kone Tai area for two months. After that, he was sent to a checkpoint at the entrance of Hpa-an Town [Doo Tha Htoo District]. This checkpoint is controlled by combined forces of the Burma Army and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA).[12] Then, he was again sent to Pein Net Taw army camp in Doo Tha Htoo District with a guide from the DKBA. Again, he was sent to Lay Kay army camp and Win Tar Pan army camp in Bilin Township, Doo Tha Htoo District, as [part of] reinforcements. When he was sent to those army camps with the Burma Army’s troops to help them as reinforcements, along the way, the KNLA attacked the Burma [Army] troops. As a result, almost everyone from the troops was killed or injured. Therefore, Maung K--- was afraid to continue the journey, and he decided to run away for the survival. Then, he surrendered to KNLA Battalion #1 on 20 April 2026. As he surrendered, the KNLA took care of him and kept him in a safe place. Maung K---‘s [Burma Army] military trainer was Major Min Maw Than.
Maung K--- and many other soldiers did not want to join the Burma Army. He told KHRG about his experience and perspectives. “Many people want to run away if they have a chance. […] We do not have fighting experience at the frontlines. When the fighting happened, I did not shoot a gun. I just lay down and stayed like that. Some people died of hunger at the frontlines. Some people died as they stepped on landmines. I have seen this situation. That is why I was afraid to continue our journey. Then, I decided to surrender.”
Maung K--- worked as a masonry worker to support his family. He is Bamar and Buddhist. He is 23 years old and he is married. His wife was also in the house when he was arrested. His wife’s name is Ma G---. According to Maung K---, Ma G--- did not even have a chance to talk to her husband when he was arrested and taken away. She felt really sad about what happened to her husband.
Second incident: Maung Q--- (Tatmadaw); Military ID number: XXX [Censored for security purposes]
Maung Q--- is from Thingangyun Township, Yangon Division. On one day in April 2024, he was sleeping on a street, as he was drunk. Two unknown people arrested him. These two people worked as recruiters for the Burma Army. Then, they put him on a bus and drove him to a military training school in Toungoo Town, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District. When he arrived there, it was a time when the Burma Army had begun to conduct the 3rd batch of People’s Military Service Training.
According to Maung Q---, all kinds of people from different areas and backgrounds, including criminals, were arrested, and they were sent to recruitment centre #4 in Toungoo Town. The Burma Army forcibly recruited them and often tortured them. Maung Q--- testified that they were asked whether they wanted to be a soldier or not when they were in the recruitment centre. The Burma Army hit and beat those who answered that they did not want to be a soldier. They tortured them until they had to confess that they wanted to be a solider. After staying in the recruitment centre for 15 days, the Burma Army reached the number of people that they wanted to be conscripted. Then, they [the forcibly recruited individuals] were sent to military training school #6 in Pathein Town [Ayeyarwady Region]. Maung Q--- had to attend the military training there for five months, from 1 May 2024 to 28 October 2024.
Maung Q--- told KHRG: “They [the Burma Army] try to collect [arrest] people. Many people from different areas were arrested. Some prisoners were even arrested. They were taken out from the cell. They were asked whether they would continue to stay in jails or whether they would join the army. Some prisoners said that they wanted to join the army. Then, they were handcuffed when they were sent to the recruitment centre. There were all kinds of people, including criminals. Some of them were people with mental disabilities. Some of them were over 40 years old. Then, they [the Burma Army] took pictures of them for their records. After that, they questioned and interrogated them. During the interrogation, they [the Burma Army] asked whether they [the arrested people] agreed to join the army or not. If people said that they did not agree, a gang of soldiers beat them and hit them. They beat and hit them until they had to say that they agreed. They beat and hit them very harshly. If anyone tried to run away, they tied them with ropes. When they got 200 people, they sent them to a military training school in Pathein Town with military trucks. Along the journey, they asked them again whether they agreed to join the army or not. If they said that they did not agree, then they beat and hit them again. If you say you don’t agree, they beat you and they ask again. They will keep doing that until you agree.”
After Maung Q--- attended the military training, he was sent to LIB #1 army camp, under the command of LID #44, in Thaton Town, Mon State [Doo Tha Htoo District], along with around ten other trainees. He stayed at LIB #1 army camp for over 20 days. Then, he was sent to Thay Baw Boh army camp, Thay Baw Boh village tract, Kaw T’Ree (Kawkareik) Township, Dooplaya District. This army camp is located near the Thoo Mweh River along the Thai-Burma border. He stayed at the camp for five months. In May 2025, combined forces of KNLA and PDF troops led by Bo[13] Da Baw attacked and occupied the army camp. During the attack, 46 Burma Army soldiers, including Maung Q--- and the Operations Commander, surrendered to the KNLA. Then, the KNLA took them on a boat across the river, and they sent them to Thai authorities as a way to avoid detaining them.
However, the Burma Army and Thai authorities negotiated with each other. Finally, Thai authorities sent the surrendered [soldiers] back to Burma. Then, the surrendered [soldiers] were sent to LIB #545 army camp in Myawaddy Town [Dooplaya District]. LIB #545 is under the command of Military Operations Command (MOC)[14] #12. Maung Q--- stayed at LIB #545 army camp for three months. Then, he was sent to LIB #1 army camp in Thaton Town again. Then, he was sent to Kq--- village, Kawkareik Township. He stayed in the village for almost three months. After this, he was sent to Lay Kay army camp and Win Tar Pan army camp as [part of] reinforcements with a guide from the DKBA.
Along the journey, Maung Q--- and his troops faced a food shortage. The Burma Army’s soldiers were dying every day because of severe hunger. According to Maung Q---, his commander’s management was very poor for the military operation. Therefore, many soldiers from the troop died. Maung Q--- could not even continue on the journey as he became weak because he did not get to eat food for several days. Finally, he ran away alone, and he went to places that he thought he might be able to get water. While he was running away, he encountered KNLA troops. He explained everything to the KNLA about what happened to him. Then, the KNLA provided him food and kept him in safe place. Maung Q---‘s [Burma Army] upper leader was Lit. Colonel Kyaw Thu.
Maung Q--- is 30 years old. He is single. He worked as a ship worker to support his livelihood. Maung Q--- tried to think about escaping before he was sent to the frontlines, but it was not easy for him to escape. He told KHRG: “They [the Burma Army] tied those who ran away with ropes. Then, they hit and beat them. So, it is not easy to run away. I cannot imagine what would happen to me if they catch me.”
Further background reading on the situation on forced recruitment in Southeast Burma/Myanmar can be found in the following KHRG reports: