Artists and children of tycoons will also be conscripted if it is their turn, says Deputy Minister of Defence

Artists, professionals, and children of famous people will also be conscripted if they are not exempt under the Conscription Law, said Deputy Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Aung Myo Thant, at a parliamentary session held yesterday. In response to a question from U Nyan Win Htike, a Member of Parliament for Botataung Township, regarding the conscription of children of artists and famous people, Lieutenant General Aung Myo Thant replied, "As for us, anyone who is not exempt under the People's Conscription Law will be conscripted according to the law." However, according to ground reports, the situation on the ground is different from what Lieutenant General Aung Myo Thant stated, with a market emerging where young people are forcibly abducted and sold for ransom. The People's Conscription Law is being implemented across Myanmar, and local residents report that ward administrators are responsible for gathering manpower monthly, as well as arrests, detentions, and demands for money. Young people from the lower-income class who cannot afford the money are most often sent to training schools and face the situation of being forcibly abducted and sold for conscription. On the other hand, there have been criticisms among the public regarding the statement by Director Painter Soe Moe that "conscription is a matter of pride" and the question posed by actor Nay Aung, "Don't you want to sacrifice your life for your country and your people? " regarding the emigration of young people. In Yangon, young footballers have been arrested and forcibly conscripted, and ward administrators are also forcibly arresting and detaining individuals for sale for conscription, with deaths occurring, according to crime reports. The military junta began implementing the Conscription Law to replenish troop numbers amidst ongoing battles across the country, and currently, it has reached the 28th training batch.