Junta orders GAD staff from Arakan townships to work in Sittwe

By Admin 24 Aug 2024

DMG Newsroom
24 August 2024, Sittwe

Myanmar’s military regime has ordered staff of the General Administration Department (GAD) in areas controlled by the Arakkha Army (AA) in Arakan State to move to Sittwe Town, which is still controlled by the regime.

Since February, the regime has put pressure on GAD staff from townships experiencing clashes or that it had lost control of to come and work in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State. The regime, however, threatened recently that those who failed to go to Sittwe would be dismissed, a displaced GAD employee told DMG.

“It issued a notice months ago that GAD staff from townships where its administration was not functioning could go to work in Sittwe GAD. But lately, they issued an ultimatum — either we go to Sittwe or we won’t get our salaries and face dismissal,” he said.

The AA has seized control of Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Myebon, Ramree townships and Thandwe town. The regime is struggling to defend against AA attacks in Maungdaw and Thandwe townships.

The AA has also been attacking junta positions in Ann, Taungup and Gwa townships. Tensions are also running high in Sittwe and Kyaukphyu townships.

The regime has ordered GAD staff from all townships except Kyaukphyu, Ann, Taungup, Manaung and Gwa townships, to go to Sittwe.

Many GAD staff employees have no trust in the regime, and are not willing to go to Sittwe due to concerns for their safety.

“Why should we leave behind our family and go straight into danger for chicken feed salary? What are we supposed to do there while the regime is not even sure how long it will be able to maintain control of Sittwe?” said another GAD employee.

The regime issued an order on July 25 that it would take punitive action against those who fail to show up in Sittwe.

The regime is summoning GAD staff because the GAD is a crucial department for the regime, said a retired police officer who asked for anonymity.

“After the military, the GAD is the most powerful department in the town. The GAD handles data and statistics of the relevant townships. And most of the GAD heads are former military personnel,” he said.

The department is central to the functioning of local governance, overseeing population registration, land registration, collection of demographic data, and tax collection among other administrative functions.

In late 2018, the now ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) government transferred control of the GAD from military to civilian oversight under the Ministry of the Office of the Union Government. However, the regime transferred the control of GAD back to the military-run Home Affairs Ministry after the 2021 coup.