Comments on the enforcement of conscription in Myanmar:
Justine Chambers, a Myanmar researcher with the Danish Institute for International Studies, said the junta's decision to enforce the conscription law now was also a way to remove the young people who were spearheading the revolution from the civilian population and put them in positions where they were likely to be killed.
The conscripts would probably be given minimal training before being sent to the front lines to be used primarily as human shields and porters as the military government had done in the past, she said.
"It's about destroying them, destroying their lives, sending them to the front lines and turning them against each other," she said.
"In the next year, we're going to see huge loss of life among people who don't support the military who aren't soldiers."
Dr Chambers said the announcement had already struck fear into the hearts of the country's youth who were terrified of being forced into the military to fight against their people.
"I have a lot of friends in this age category who are completely panicked," Dr Chambers said.
"The couple of people I have spoken to have said they haven't been able to sleep.
"Young people aren't going to know when they're going to get called up for the military; is it going to be this week or in six months?"