By Ra Wai / MPA
Reports indicate that the majority of recruits from Chaungzon, who were hired for military service, have tragically lost their lives in frontline battles.
Around 12 residents from Chaungzon Township in Mon State were hired for the substitution of military service. They all were sent to intense battle zones of Rakhine, Sagaing, and Dawei after completing their training, and later deployed to the Shan-Kayah border, where they died in combat, according to a source close to the local administration in Chaungzon Township.
At first, we heard that eight of them had been killed. The latest update is that another has died, and one more is critically injured. After that, their families lost all contact, leading everyone to assume they had all perished. One more recruit from Kunthea Village was sent to Rakhine, and there’s been no communication since. People now believe he should be counted among the dead as well,” the source told MPA.
The seriously injured individual was from the Weilan village tract in Chaungzon Township and sustained injuries at the Shan-Kayah border. The deceased was from the Nathmaw village tract.
Local authorities under the regime falsely promised that the graduates from military training would only be assigned duties near their hometowns, prompting the 12 Chaungzon residents to enlist in the first and second batches of military training as hired military recruits.
“At that time, the substitution fee for military recruits ranged from 3 million to 5 million kyats per person. They were promised that they would be stationed near their hometowns, which led around 12 local residents to join. Others who hired themselves out were workers from other towns who had come to Chaungzon for employment,” the source explained,” the source continued.
After these early batches, no more Chaungzon residents were hired for military service.
“The first group of trainees was initially supposed to be granted leave, but instead, they were sent straight to the front lines, where their chances of survival were slim. Now, no one from Chaungzon is willing to sign up as hired military recruits anymore. Only people from other towns are still enlisting,” said a resident from Thetkaw Village in Chaungzon Township.
The eight Chaungzon residents who died in combat shortly after completing their training were from Muyitgyi, Weilan, Hpanhpa, Kayaikdu, and Sepalar Village tracts. They were killed in the battles in the Rakhine and Sagaing regions, according to a source close to the local administration.
Military training is currently being conducted at the No. 4 Advanced Military Training Depot in Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State.