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NEWS - SPDC Orders Mobilization of



Subject: NEWS - SPDC Orders Mobilization of Child Soldiers

SHAN HERALD AGENCY FOR NEWS - July 28, 1999

CHILD SOLDIERS

SPDC Orders Mobilization of Child Soldiers

20 July 1999, Lashio. Sources reported that the Burmese high command has
issued
orders in mid-June to induct and train boys between 12 and 18.

Maj-Gen (Thura) Tin Aung Myint Oo, Commander of the Northeastern
Command,
with
headquarters in Lashio, Northern Shan State, issued a directive which
contained
the following interesting points:

To teach the Ye Nyunt Youth members only primary school education;
[N.B. Ye Nyunt literally means "Brave Sprout"]

To train them for reserve force;

To give boys between 12 and 18 full military training in order to be
prepared
for mobilization at any time;

Those who continue their schools must join the army when they are 18.
Otherwise, they shall need to enter the Nationalities Development
Institute
in
Sagaing (Northern Burma), after necessary bonds have been signed.

Those who refuse to join either the army or the Institute shall be
promptly
expelled;

Only those who profess Buddhism shall be inducted and they shall be
ordained
as
novices during summer holidays;

Those who profess other religions shall be induced to join the Buddhist
fold.
Those that refuse to shall be expelled;

All members of the Ye Nyunt Youth shall be Buddhists. Units stationed
near
the
Ye Nyunt camp shall be manned by religious commissioned and
non-commissioned
officers;

All Ye Nyunt Youth centers shall submit regular monthly progress
reports;

All local military commands must maintain constant supervision for the
Ye
Nyunt
Youth.

"The above directive confirms that the SPDC only wants fighters for
their
whatever cause" said a source. "They don't care what happens to them
when
they
grow up".

There are Ye Nyunt Youth centers, providing bed, board and schooling for
orphaned and poor boys, in Lashio, Tangyan, Kutkhai and Kunlong. The
program
began since the days of the present junta's predecessor, the Burma
Socialist
Program Party. "Initially, it was to recruit and train boys only between
14
and
16 for the reserve", the source added.