Village heads appointed by Myanmar’s military council in Ywangan Township, Southern Shan State, are facing allegations of selectively enlisting individuals for military service based on personal bias rather than an official selection process.

According to local sources, instead of following a fair lottery system or selecting from a registered list, these officials deliberately target individuals with whom they have conflicts, as well as those from lower-income backgrounds.

“The names on the conscription list aren’t chosen randomly. It’s mostly people who disagree with the village heads, those who oppose the military, and the poor,” a Ywangan resident told SHAN.

Reports indicate that these officials have already submitted the names of selected individuals to the military council.

“This list was prepared in advance. If someone argues with them or doesn’t support the military, their name ends up on the list. It’s completely unfair,” the resident added.

Some officials have also allegedly threatened villagers, claiming that each village in Ywangan must provide at least five men for military service.

Although the military council previously announced that only men aged 18 to 35 would be drafted, residents report that men older than 35 are now being forcibly conscripted.

One man in his 30s, whose name appeared on the latest conscription list, has not returned home since he was called for service.

“None of the men taken in the last round have been heard from again. I don’t even know if they are still alive, and now my name is at the top of the list. My wife is pregnant, and she doesn’t want me to go. If I do, I know I’ll never return,” he said.

With no alternatives, many conscripts feel they have no choice but to comply, even if it means facing death.

Before the 2021 military coup, the military council recruited young men from Ywangan with promises of high salaries. One man who enlisted later died in combat in Rakhine State in 2024. His family has yet to receive his body or even a photograph as proof of his death.

Meanwhile, the military council has tightened its grip on Ywangan, increasing security checkpoints, restricting movement, and deploying additional troops in villages. The growing climate of fear and repression has left many residents uncertain about their future.