The Myanmar military, colloquially known as the Tatmadaw, has enforced the implementation of the People’s Military Service Law. The statute dictates that all males aged between 18 to 35 and females aged between 18 to 27 are required to serve in the military for at least two years.
This move follows a series of recent military defeats against the rebel alliance, dubbed the “Tripartite Brotherhood”. In an offensive majorly launched in the northern Shan region, these rebels not only captured a border crossing with China, but also several military outposts. Despite retaliatory air and artillery bombardments by the junta, it has not succeeded in regaining its lost territory, simultaneously encouraging other rebel groups across Myanmar to intensify their assaults against the junta party.
The escalation stems from the Tatmadaw’s February 2021 coup d’état, during which it arrested and detained high-ranking government officials including Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. Despite independent observations and protests, the military claims that the previous election was meddled with.
The enforcement of the People’s Military Service Law in response to the increased armed resistance was initially introduced in 2010 but had hitherto remained inactive. This law outlines a citizen’s duty to protect Myanmar’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and mandates military training and service. An emergency extension allows the service to be elongated by up to five years and non-compliance can be met with penalties such as imprisonment or fines. The junta’s recent statement was brief, but it mentioned that further key regulations, procedures, announcements, orders, notices, and instructions concerning the implementation of the law will be issued by the Ministry of Defense in the near future.
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