SAC Pardons Ex-soldiers of Crimes, Forcing Them To Re-enlist in Irrawaddy Region
By Network Media Group
Thursday, December 14, 2023
The military regime, known as State Administration Council (SAC), has compelled 107 imprisoned ex-soldiers to rejoin the armed forces.
NMG has learned that SAC sent the convicts from Pathein Prison and Nget Pouk Penal Labour Camp to a training facility in Irrawaddy Region last week. A local man affiliated with prison authorities at Pathein said the ex-soldiers were convicted of various offenses, with many almost completing their sentences before receiving amnesty. “Some of them were deserters, but some of these soldiers committed crimes,” he said, noting that a SAC colonel arranged their transport from the prisons in four military trucks.
A mother, who spoke with NMG on condition of anonymity, explained, “My son doesn’t want to serve in the army, and that’s why he deserted.” She said he was sentenced for four years and was due for release next month before being sent to Kwin Kauk military training grounds.
According to a former army officer, if soldiers are sent to civilian prisons, they cannot be forced to serve in the military again. He said if they want to enlist them again, they must be sentenced in a military court and sent to an army prison. “They sentenced the former soldiers for four or five years because they wanted to prevent others from running away from the army. In the past, deserters only received up to a year in prison.”
Another anonymous source close to authorities at Kwin Kauk said, “Most of these former soldiers do not want to be in the army again, and they are not active in the military training school. They act like robots here.” He explained that SAC has increased their ranks as an incentive. They are required to complete two weeks of training before being deployed in the field.
SAC is responding to shortages caused by low morale and desertions amid constant ambushes from resistance forces following Burma’s 2021 coup and after the 1027 Operation, which started on October 27. The junta announced in early December that it would allow deserters and convicts who had previously served to rejoin its ranks.
