Mother pleads for release of forcibly recruited son

Credit: Kyaw Kha, Mizzima News, 28 January 2010.

A mother of a 14-year old boy persuaded to join the Burmese army speaks of her family’s ordeal with Mizzima. Sandar Win, the mother, says her son, Maung Kyaw Min Tun (alias Kyar Min) was recruited on the 19th of this month and is being kept at the army’s Light Infantry Battalion 83 based in Michaungye in Taungdwingyi township of Magwe Division.

According to her, she journeyed to the barracks to try and bring her son home, but officials at the gate denied her request. The incident happened soon after Burma's military government renewed a one-year agreement with the International Labor Organization to stop the conscription of underage youth into the army.

Here is Kyaw Kha’s interview with the Sandar Win.

Can you tell me your son’s biography and briefly of your family life?

My son’s name is Kyaw Min Tun. His date of birth is December 20th, 1995. Now he is 14 years old. He is a student of first standard at Myo-U primary school. Though he’s still enrolled, he was not attending school at the time, as I could not afford to send him. We live in Aung-zay-yar quarter in Taundwingyi township.

My name is Sandar Win. My husband passed away when my son was five. I have to earn money by selling watermelons. I have suffered from cancer. When we could not get by with this job alone, my son had to stop going to school and start selling boiled quail eggs. He suffers from vomiting blood and his hand was once broken.

When and how did he go missing? How did you know that he was missing?

He went missing around 4 p.m. on the 19th of this month. When I returned home from my business, neighbors told me about it. At the time, he was visiting a friend at the back of our home.

Sergeant Naing Win, who is used to visiting our home, sent a boy to call my son to see him in a teashop. Naing Win and his wife, Ma Thida Tun, live in our same quarter. Some people from our quarter found that Naing Win took my son on his motorcycle after offering my son alcohol and dressing him in an army uniform. When they asked my son where he was going, he said Naing Win was taking him for a moment. From that day on, he has been missing.

Which military division is the boy in now? Did you complain about this incident to the authorities?

Naing Win, who deceived my son, is a lieutenant sergeant from LIB 83 based in Michaungye between Magwe and Taundwingyi. His ID is Ta/231478. It is known that after deceiving my son he transferred him to Captain Zaw Lin Tun of the same battalion. I have not complained to anyone yet. Supposing my son was at the place (LIB 83), I went straight to see him there.

How did you know if your son was there or not?

A boy who escaped from being recruited into the army told me. His name is Ko Phyo and he is about 19 and a student of 9th standard. We live in the same quarter. Like my son, he was asked to drink alcohol and taken for recruitment. When I asked him, he said he had escaped after showing his hospital record and the signature of our quarter chairman. It cost him 40,000 kyat (US$ 40).

Did you go to that Division? And did you see your son?

When I arrived at the gate, officials told me they could allow me to see him only after training. They said they could not permit me to see him then no matter what I would do. I was so heartbroken that I begged them with tears to let me see my son. But it was in vain. At that time, Naing Win was also inside and I requested to see him, too. My request was again rejected.

Regarding your son, what else did Ko Phyo tell you?

Ko Phyo, who was just released from recruitment, told me what to urgently do if I wanted my son released. This month, newly recruited boys will be sent for medical check-ups in Magwe’s 88th Division. They [the army] are threatening the recruits with guns during meals and even in the toilet. I came to know from him that my son was crying hard and could not take his meals or do anything.

What do you plan to do next?

I am feeling very bad. I have only this son. A mother and a son is our solitary life, we have to struggle for our living. Please help us. If my son can return home now, it will be enough. He is too young, just over 14.