With images of soldiers and riot police beating protesters on television screens everywhere last month, the world, once again, became aware of the brutal methods employed by Myanmar's military regime.

In its latest report, New York-based Human Rights Watch describes how children are being recruited into the army and used to uphold the brutal system.

With a reputation for providing a gruelling, underpaid existence, the army has never been a popular career choice in Myanmar, but the report says it is currently facing a worse staffing crisis than ever before.

Expansion after 1988

It states that the army started to expand after the 1988 government crackdown on civilian protestors and that this is when children were first swept up in recruitment drives.

"Recruiters will typically approach children who are on their own, boys who are in public spaces like the market place, train stations or in bus stations, Jo Becker, one of the report's authors, explained.

"One of their typical tactics is to ask a boy to produce his identity card. If the boy can't produce his card, the recruiter will say 'Well, you have to go jail or you can join the army.' So in this way many boys are coerced or threatened of sometimes even physically forced to join the army."

At least 18

Three years ago, a government committee stipulated that all soldiers in the Myanmar national army had to be at least 18 years old. But the report says this is clearly not being adhered to and children as young as ten are forced to commit acts of brutality.

"They go through the same training as adults, in most cases, and they may be deployed into combat situations from the age of 12," Becker continued. "They're used to fight against ethnic armed opposition groups in the country and they're also used to commit human rights abuses, such as burning villages or rounding up civilians for forced labour purposes."

The report concludes that, unless immediate action is taken, the recruitment of children is likely to increase because the army has become even more unpopular since the suppression of pro-democracy protests last month.