Junta threatens action against no-show civil servants in Arakan State

By Admin 30 Jul 2024

DMG Newsroom
30 July 2024, Sittwe

The Arakan State military council issued a notification on July 25 stating that action would be taken against civil servants in Arakan State for failing to report, according to government employees.

The notification was issued by the Arakan State military council office, Arakan State minister for security and border affairs and Arakan State police force, and was sent to government employees on July 26, said an employee from the township General Administration Department (GAD).

“The Arakan State military council issued a letter, stating that action will be taken against civil servants in Sittwe for failing to report. I don’t know what action will be taken against the government employees. Almost all civil servants have fled to safer locations due to the ongoing fighting,” the GAD employee told DMG.

The GAD employee said the notification applies to all civil servants in Arakan State.

Under the military regime, many civil servants have sought refuge in areas controlled by the Arakkha Army (AA) due to ongoing armed conflict between the two sides in Arakan State and the lack of security guarantees.

“I cannot say what day the battle will take place in Sittwe. Also, the junta soldiers do not consider the employees of other departments as civil servants on their level. I could not continue to serve under the military regime, so I fled to the AA-controlled area,” said a displaced government employee from the Forest Department.

Students were to be enrolled in basic education schools on June 1 and teachers from townships such as Sittwe, Mrauk-U, Minbya and Kyauktaw were instructed by the Arakan State education officer to arrive at their respective schools by May 25. The military regime threatened that if the teachers did not arrive at their schools within the specified period, they would be terminated from their duties and their salaries would be cut.

“We have yet to receive the notification and we never failed to report for duty. We fled to a safer location due to lack of security guarantee. It is unfair that the regime would take such action against teachers when everyone is suffering,” said a junior assistant teacher from Mrauk-U Township.

DMG attempted to contact Arakan State military council spokesman U Hla Thein regarding the matter, but he could not be reached.

It has been more than eight months since fighting between the military and AA resumed in Arakan State on November 13. The AA has since seized control of most of Arakan State’s 17 townships.

The regime’s administrative apparatus is no longer functioning in the AA-held townships, and departmental offices are closed.