Yangon factory workers alarmed by junta’s demand for personal details

Myanmar’s military regime has directed factory owners in Yangon to submit their employees’ personal details, sparking fears among garment workers that this information may be used for military conscription. The order, issued on August 23, required employers to submit the data to the junta’s Department of Labour and the Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone Management Committee by the end of the month, according to a factory owner in the industrial zone. However, some employers have yet to comply with the directive as it was communicated through a Viber chat group for industrialists rather than through official channels. “We have not received any official notice,” said the factory owner, who said he believes the regime intends to use the information for census purposes rather than conscription. A central executive committee member of the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association who was contacted by Myanmar Now also reported not receiving any official directive. Despite this, the order has raised concerns among conscription-age workers. A labour rights activist noted that workers are already under significant pressure and face unsafe working conditions. “Workers are being coerced into labour and are threatened with blackmail and abduction by junta troops during their commutes,” he said. He also pointed out that employers already possess the information requested by the regime, as it was collected during the hiring process. “If workers’ personal information is misused and given to the military council without their consent for purposes other than those originally intended, it constitutes a violation of human rights,” he said. Following the regime's announcement earlier this year that men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 would be eligible for military service under a previously unused conscription law, many young people have sought to leave the country. Earlier this week, the junta introduced a “public security system” requiring men aged 35 to 60 to perform guard duties to protect potential targets of attacks by opposition groups. On Thursday, the Confederation of Trade Unions, Myanmar (CTUM) issued a statement condemning these actions as violations of International Labour Organization (ILO) principles. CTUM is running an online campaign urging the ILO to take action against the regime under Article 33 of the ILO constitution. This could lead to an investigation by an ILO team, and if significant violations are confirmed, the country may face prosecution.

Yangon factory workers alarmed by junta’s demand for personal details

An order issued last week has sparked concerns that the information could be used to force workers into military service

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