19-2-2024 (YANGON) Myanmar’s junta has reportedly handed down death sentences to three brigadier generals who surrendered along with hundreds of troops, relinquishing control of a strategic Chinese border town to rebel fighters last month, military sources informed AFP on Monday. The news comes as tragedy struck outside a passport office in Mandalay, Myanmar, where two people lost their lives in a crush as hundreds queued to obtain passports to flee the country amidst the ongoing political turmoil.
An anonymous military source speaking to AFP revealed that three brigadier generals, including the Laukkai town commander, have been sentenced to death. Another military source corroborated this information.
The sentencing follows the surrender of hundreds of troops to the Three Brotherhood Alliance in Laukkai, located in northern Shan state, after months of intense fighting. This surrender dealt a significant blow to the military’s control and drew rare public criticism from its supporters, who remain divided amidst opposition to the 2021 coup.
Although the officers and their troops were allowed to leave the area, the exact timing of the verdict remains undisclosed. Last month, a military spokesperson confirmed to AFP that the three brigadier generals were in military custody. Under Myanmar’s military law, leaving a post without permission can carry the death penalty.
In a separate tragic incident, two individuals lost their lives in a stampede outside a passport office in Mandalay, Myanmar. The incident occurred as thousands of people sought to leave the country to avoid compulsory military service imposed by the junta.
According to a rescue worker at the scene, the victims, aged 52 and 39, tragically succumbed to suffocation after falling into a ditch amidst the chaotic crowd. Another person sustained minor injuries. It was reported that the victims were selling tokens to manage the queue.
The military, which seized power in a coup three years ago, is facing mounting resistance from various armed groups and widespread opposition to its recent conscription law.
Despite announcing the enforcement of a law to conscript men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 into military service, specific details regarding its implementation remain unclear. The prospect of mandatory service has triggered a rush of individuals seeking to leave the country.
Reports have emerged of long queues forming outside passport offices and foreign embassies as people endeavor to secure travel documents and visas to escape Myanmar’s political turmoil.
The junta, meanwhile, asserts its readiness to conscript millions but acknowledges its limited capacity to train recruits. Additionally, it has hinted at arming pro-military militias to counter opposition forces, including the anti-coup People’s Defence Forces and various ethnic minority armed groups operating across the nation.
