By Ma Ma - Dec 18, 2024

A series of conscription reports over the past few days in Yangon has left SME business owners worried about the safety of their workers and facing additional challenges.

Since early December, incidents of Reports, where youths are lured with promises of jobs, have been recurrent in areas under the control of the military council. These incidents have not only affected young workers but also caused difficulties for business owners.

“We’re not running a large operation. We only have about four employees. Now, with all these conscription reports, it’s really unsettling. We can’t arrange transport for them since we’re a small business. We sell goods, so we only close up around 8 p.m. What if something happens to them on their way home, even if it’s within our township? It would affects our work if we let them go home early,. And as a small business, we can’t provide ferries like factories do. So now, we’re asking them to call us once they reach home. But even then, it’s still stressful,” said one seller of consumer goods and food products.

Currently, these conscription reports are also causing families of workers to feel anxious, with some requesting that working hours be adjusted or arrangements made for nighttime safety.

“Our working hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. But now, we ask them to leave by 5 p.m. I have to manage the shop on my own, keep it open, and do all the packing and storing myself. It’s not convenient, but I think it’s better to bear the burden myself. We can’t take responsibility for everything. Even meeting payroll has been tough during this period. Resolving other issues is even harder, so I prioritize safety,” said a gas supply business owner.

Currently, many residents on the outskirts of Yangon commute to busier, more central townships to seek employment opportunities. In this situation, abduction conscription have created concerns and insecurities, with workers expressing feelings of unease, according to reports.