Migrant workers recruited as substitutes for military training in Mon State are reportedly using fake identification documents provided by local administrative officers. This practice has been ongoing for all seven batches under the military junta.
With fewer people for military training, authorities have resorted to recruiting migrant workers who are easier to persuade with monetary incentives. These workers are often paid to serve in place of local residents avoiding mandatory service.
To meet the junta’s requirement for documentation proving Mon State residency, local administrators and immigration officials have collaborated to produce fake registration cards, household lists, and educational certificates for migrant workers.
A person involved in military service arrangements said, “Documents like household lists, registration cards, and educational records are fabricated. Local immigration offices provide endorsements to make it look legitimate. This is happening across the region, including in Mudon and Chaungzon townships.”
Despite the military junta being aware of these practices, no preventative actions have been taken. According to the same source, migrant workers have replaced local residents, with payments made to secure their participation.
This arrangement has sparked concerns among Mon locals about the long-term implications. Some worry that granting migrant workers Mon State residency could eventually lead to increased dominance by Bamar ethnic groups in the region.
A report by the Burma Affairs and Conflict Study (BACS) revealed that over 1,000 individuals were recruited for military training from Mon State for batches 1 to 5. Most were migrant workers, those who paid large sums of money to avoid service, or individuals arrested for drug-related offenses or other crimes.
A Mon human rights activist, Nai Aue Mon from HURFOM, said, “The junta’s administrative system is directly facilitating these practices. This is likely to result in further military-related crimes. Additionally, young people deported from Thailand are being apprehended at the border and forced into service. Some can pay between 3 to 4 million kyats to avoid it, but those who cannot are sent directly to central training camps.”
The junta continues recruiting individuals for batch 7, even raiding villages and towns in regions like Bago and Mandalay during nighttime to detain young people. Reports indicate that earlier trainees from batches 1 to 3 have already been deployed to the front lines, with some having lost their lives in combat.
