Amidst the ongoing conflict in Myanmar between the junta and rebel forces, thousands of soldiers have surrendered, facing moral dilemmas and rebel advances.
Over the past few months, thousands of military personnel, including entire battalions, have surrendered. Some soldiers cite moral objections or political reasons for defection, while others surrendered after being overwhelmed by opposing forces, reports The Guardian.
Since the military coup in February 2021, Myanmar's military has grappled with suppressing opposition from pro-democracy groups and armed ethnic-minority factions seeking independence. The pressure intensified on October 27th when a coalition of ethnic-minority groups launched an offensive in northern Shan state, catching the military off guard and prompting counter-offensives.
Despite initial hopes of the military's imminent defeat, analysts caution that resistance progress has been mixed. Nevertheless, losses suffered since October, including downed aircraft, seized weapons, and lost territories, have deeply embarrassed the military leadership.
By early January, anti-junta fighters captured Laukkai near the Chinese border, resulting in what analysts described as "the largest surrender in the history of Myanmar's military." The junta allegedly sentenced some surrendered generals to death or life imprisonment, though these claims were denied.
Since Operation 1027, over 4,000 soldiers are estimated to have defected or surrendered, adding to the 14,000 who defected since the 2021 coup. These figures, while challenging to verify, reflect a significant trend of military desertions.
Moral Dilemma:
Former soldiers expressed frustration over conditions, corruption, and moral objections to the military's actions, including extrajudicial killings of civilians. Many defecting soldiers now seek refuge or plan to join rebel forces against the junta, reflecting widespread disillusionment within Myanmar's military ranks.
“I feel sorry for the people – people the age of my parents are being killed, and their houses destroyed for no reason. I saw it, I witnessed that,” a defected solider Wunna Kyaw says.
Wunna Kyaw said that during clearance operations in villages he was ordered to shoot at anyone, regardless of whether they were civilians, but said he avoided doing so, firing into the air instead.
Thant Zin Oo, who defected in late August, he was ordered to go out ahead of his unit to shoot the opposition. “There is no reason why as a sniper I should kill our own people. But we were forced to do that,” he says, adding: “I wish I could change the direction of my bullets.”
Wunna Kyaw believes all of his friends who remain in the military will try to defect. Now living in a safe house near the Thai border, he plans to help the forces he once had to fight against as an activist.
Others intend to return to the battle and join their former adversaries. Thant Zin Oo has registered to fight with the KNU. But he does not want to fight against other ordinary soldiers of his own rank. “I want to kill the leadership of the military,” he says.