3-5-2024 (YANGON) Myanmar’s military junta has announced the suspension of permits for men seeking to work abroad, a move coming on the heels of the introduction of a controversial military conscription law that triggered a rush of individuals attempting to leave the country.
In February, the junta unveiled a law mandating the conscription of all men into military service for a minimum of two years, a measure aimed at bolstering its forces amidst widespread opposition to its rule.
Reports emerged of long queues forming outside foreign embassies in Yangon as individuals sought visas, while others reportedly crossed into neighbouring Thailand to evade the conscription law.
The Ministry of Labour, through a statement released by the junta’s information team late Thursday (May 2), announced the “temporary suspension” of applications from men aspiring to work overseas. The rationale behind the move was cited as the necessity to “take more time to verify departure processes and according to other issues,” although specific details were not provided.
According to estimates from the International Labour Organization, over 4 million Myanmar nationals were employed abroad in 2020, a figure that likely represents only a fraction of the actual number due to the prevalence of informal employment arrangements.
The military conscription law, originally drafted by a previous junta in 2010 but never enforced until now, mandates the summoning of all men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 to serve in the military for a minimum of two years. Additionally, the law permits the extension of service terms up to five years during a state of emergency, with penalties for non-compliance including imprisonment for the same duration.
While the junta has justified the law as necessary to address internal security challenges posed by various armed groups, critics argue that it serves to consolidate military control and suppress dissent. The military’s crackdown on dissent since its seizure of power in February 2021 has resulted in thousands of fatalities and tens of thousands of arrests, according to local monitoring groups.
