Just before the capture of Myawaddy, we were in a PDF area of southern #Myanmar ’s Tanintharyi, where streams of young people were seeking shelter as the junta rolled out its mandatory service. Here's a dispatch &🧵 on what we saw: #whatshappeninginMyanmar
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Most of them had decided to join the resistance. Their families had stopped them before, but that changed after the draft. The line of thinking – if you have to fight, better to fight for democracy than dictatorship.

But PDF was the most popular choice. A registration volunteer in the small town told us of the roughly 230 people who arrived over the previous two weeks, 30% were women. I’d estimate at least 150 more arrived over the eight days we spent there.

Not everyone wanted a gun. Many wanted to apply their qualifications and education in the local resistance administration. Faced with the draft, some guys were escaping to monasteries and becoming ordained as Buddhist monks.

A lot more to say on conscription. It’s still too early to declare: “totally backfired on the junta” but err I doubt it’s going as the generals planned (more to come on this soon). Teamwork on dispatch: Interpreter Soe Thura, 📷 Valeria Mongelli & Ko David audio translator 🙏