The military council has begun call-ups to register to people eligible for military service in the Chin State’s towns of Hakha and Falam, according to residents.
On 18 March, staff from the General Administration Department, including police officers and soldiers, went door-to-door in Zay Thit and Pyi Taw Thar Wards in Hakha, collecting household registrations and asking residents to fill out Form-2 and Form-5 for military conscription, a Hakha resident.
“They didn’t go to the outskirts, just the downtown wards. After collecting the data, they gave out two sheets of paper, and said we have to fill in our personal details. They told the residents to turn it in later at their office,” the Hakha resident explained.
The Form (2) and Form (5) must be completed and submitted on the specified date to the Hakha Township Combined Office.
The call-up notices also state that the relevant identification documents must be brought along and that failure to report will result in prosecution under the People’s Military Service Law.
After the military council troops started going door-to-door in some Hakha wards to collect household data and enlistment lists, gunfire reportedly broke out in downtown Hakha, according to residents.
Similarly, in Falam’s Vankau Ward, military council troops near their hill camp have also been going door-to-door collecting household data since 18 March, according to reports.
Salai Cung Ngai of the Chin National Organization/Chin National Defence Force (CNO/CNDF) said, “Those who are collecting the names through household registrations are police officers and immigration staff members. They will provide security, but the people are worried. They will certainly continue to collect the names for conscription. If there are unlawful arrests, we urge the young people to join the CNDF.”
After the military council announced the enforcement of the conscription law on 10 February, which requires all adult citizens to perform military service, the regime plans to call up recruits for the first training batch starting in late April and has begun call-ups nationwide.
Sent by KMG.