An estimated 2,000 troops have defected from Myanmar's current military, according to resistance figures. With 350,000 troops remaining, defectors could weaken the grip of the people on the country.


Yey Int Thwe remembers July 25 as the day when "everything changed". The 30-year-old was part of a group of about 10 soldiers who broke into homes in southeastern Myanmar's capital, Yangon. As members of the Burmese army, known as Tatamdo, they were tasked with arresting people suspected of organizing demonstrations against the February 1 military coup. Armed and handcuffed, Yey Int Thwe found himself face to face with his cousin.


"It was a shock. I spent my childhood with him, and suddenly I decided to fight him and arrest him. Why? Because he dared to express his opinion," the former soldier told France 24. Told "That was the moment I knew I had to leave the army."


That evening he returned to his barracks and began to plan his exit. Now, five months later, he is hiding in the jungle near the Myanmar-Thailand border.


'I joined army to protect people'


According to Myanmar's shadow government, the National Unity Government (NUG), 2,000 troops have defected and joined the opposition since the uprising led by Man Aung Hlaing in February.


Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, told France24: "There has never been a greater hatred of Tatmado in Myanmar." Are not satisfied with the situation. But this time there is an additional moral crisis: the military no longer wants to support the people.


Many defectors are encouraging the people of Myanmar to refuse to lay down their arms as the country moves towards civil war. According to the local activist group Assistance Action for Political Prisoners (AAPP), 1,300 civilians have been killed by Burmese security forces since February. A UN commissioner has found evidence of violations of "crimes against humanity or war crimes" by the military.


"In 2015, I was making sure that the voting booths were safe, for the elections that allowed Aung San Suu Kyi to be democratically elected. In 2021, the military is firing on her bodyguards. The army cannot tolerate the killing of civilians, "Koung Hat Aung * said in an interview with France24. "I joined the army to protect the people of Myanmar, not to fight against them," he added.


At the age of 29, after spending nine years as a sergeant, he too left Tatmadaw and joined the civil disobedience movement. Doing so meant taking a big risk. "Soldiers don't have the right to resign, it's a lifelong job," he said. "Disgust is punishable by imprisonment, or worse. Then there is the danger of retaliation against our loved ones."


"The only way to end it is to use force."


His exit from the army was dangerous. On May 6, the young soldier escaped from his military base, but not for long. Hours later, he was injured while riding a motorcycle and was recaptured. He was sentenced to three months in a military prison. In August, the junta gave him a second chance and offered him back his old military job, but he ran away again.


This time he was assisted by the People's Soldiers, an organization of former members of the army that is now helping to secure supplies for his escape. Kaung Htet Aung said that as soon as he came out of jail, I contacted him through social media. "A few weeks later, they helped me escape."


"It's all happening on social media," a spokesman for the group told France24. "Soldiers or their loved ones contact us. As soon as we verify their information, we get bus tickets to bring them to the free zone. Ethnic groups are in control. Once the fugitives arrive, People's Soldiers help them find shelter and provide other basic necessities.


"I am just happy to be free," said Kwang Hat Aung, smiling as he spoke to France 24 despite the flood of rain at his temporary shelter. He is now using the skills and knowledge he has learned in the army to help the resistance. "I made weapons for Tatmadaw, and today I make weapons to fight them. I also teach young people who have just joined the militia how to use them.


"The only way to end it is through force," he added.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Providing practical assistance is not the sole purpose of public soldiers - the organization has also invested heavily in communications campaigns to encourage those serving in Tatmado.


Every Sunday at 10am, the group broadcasts video conferences on social media covering a variety of topics each week, with speakers including members of the NUG, representatives of the pro-democracy movement and ex-servicemen who have already left. ۔ The debates are part of the group's efforts to fill social media with their message and even send direct messages to members of the military and their loved ones.


"This propaganda plays an important role," said Phil Robertson. "It not only reassures those who are thinking of quitting, but also increases the pressure and motivates them to jump." It has also been backed by the NUG, which has been promising protection for soldiers and desert workers since September.


It was through such messages that Yey Int Thwe's sister managed to contact the organization, when she could not. "Tatmadaw knows that there are civilian soldiers. To prevent the soldiers from contacting members of the organization, they monitor our phone very closely," he said.


"My sister found out that the group existed through an online meeting. She sent him a message, then she told me where I had to go to escape in the free zone.


Today, they are helping the organization by building houses in the jungle for future defectors. "I survive by donating to the People's Soldiers, and I spend my days cutting bamboo," he says.


Although he now feels safe, Yey Int Thwe hopes his family will come and stay with him. "When I was running, they were scared for me. Now I am the one who is scared for them. I am afraid that they will face the consequences of my decision."


Retired soldiers are returning to service.


According to official estimates, the dropout rate is still relatively low compared to the 350,000 members who comprise Tatmado. Yet every soldier who leaves the army is celebrated as a victory of resistance.


The deviations have not yet reached the level that would bring down the army. Tatmadaw's reaction is anger and revenge. Phil Robertson said, "So, they double down on what they have always known, using more threats and abuse to try to keep soldiers in line." "But with every deviation. It helps to create awareness and it is possible that persistent deviations could jeopardize the military leadership. "


Another sign of growing separation is the difficulty that Tatmadaw faces in recruiting new members. Independent news site Myanmar Now reports that several retired soldiers and high-ranking officers have been called back to the service and threatened to suspend their pensions if they refuse.


According to another Burmese news source, The Aravadi, the Burmese military has introduced compulsory military training for the children of military members, effectively formed a reserve force and violated international humanitarian law in the process. ۔


"The junta needs to understand that even in its ranks, some people no longer support it," Yey Int Thwe said. "It has to return power to the people and we need to start a major military reform. The army needs to return to its original goal: the protection of the people.


The names of some of the interviewers were changed to protect their identities.