In the southern Karen state capital of Hpa‑An, a 26‑year‑old tuk‑tuk driver describes a daily reality that has become the norm: young, able‑bodied men must stay indoors after dark for fear of being snatched by plain‑clothed junta supporters and forced into the army. The driver’s testimony, along with dozens of similar accounts, illustrates a broader pattern of forced conscription that has taken on the character of modern‑day slavery.

What the conscription law entails

In 2024 the Myanmar military introduced a mandatory conscription law that obliges all men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 to serve at least two years under military command. Those who refuse can face up to five years in prison. The law was framed as a response to the junta’s dwindling manpower after a series of defeats in the civil war that began with the February 2021 coup.

How abductions are carried out

Leaked documents seen by BBC Burmese reveal that authorities have been ordered to aggressively meet recruitment quotas, prompting a surge in coercive tactics. According to former officer Maj Naung Yoe, the methods include:

These practices have created an illicit market for eligible recruits. One ward administrator admitted that his office transferred a man to another ward for a fee of 4 million kyats (about $900), a transaction the BBC could not independently verify but which aligns with the broader pattern of financial incentives described in the report.

Scale of the problem

Researchers at Myanmar Witness analyzed missing‑person notices on Facebook from 2021‑2025 and found that notices for January rose from four in 2021 to 82 in 2025, suggesting a sharp increase in disappearances linked to conscription. The BBC estimates that roughly 100,000 young people have been conscripted since early 2024, many through coercion or abduction rather than formal call‑ups.

Impact on families and communities

Families are left in a state of perpetual anxiety. In Yangon, a woman named Ma Moe San Pan recounts how her husband was taken to a recruitment centre after a relative allegedly sold him to another ward for a fee. She later lost an additional 4.5 million kyats to scammers promising his release. The police accepted her complaint but refused to add human‑trafficking charges, illustrating the legal ambiguities surrounding these forced transfers.

Young men who remain often receive strict instructions from parents to be home before dusk, limiting their ability to earn a livelihood. The constant threat of abduction has also driven many to flee to Thailand or seek refuge with relatives, further straining the country’s already fragile economy.

International and domestic response

Human‑rights organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Fortify Rights have documented the junta’s practice of abducting civilians for military service. In August, police in Yangon arrested a fire‑services officer and his son‑in‑law for kidnapping four young men with the intent to sell them into conscription, highlighting that criminal elements are increasingly involved in the recruitment process.

Experts, including Dr Sandeep Singh of the National University of Singapore, argue that the conscription law represents “one of the most severe and impactful actions taken against the entire civilian population since the military coup,” and that it deepens the junta’s reliance on coercion as it struggles to maintain combat effectiveness.

Looking ahead

The combination of legal mandates, financial incentives, and on‑the‑ground corruption suggests that forced conscription will remain a pressing issue for Myanmar’s youth. As the junta continues to press‑gang young men to fill its ranks, the risk of further abductions, extortion, and the erosion of community trust appears likely to persist, unless substantial international pressure leads to a reassessment of the conscription policy.