There are growing fears among civil servants who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) due to the arrests, according to a local.

From February 6 to 17, many civil servants joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in Putao Township in Kachin State. The number of civil servants who staged the anti-coup protests is dropping, as the police collect the name list of civil servants, and force them to sign a pledge about not joining anymore protests.

The arrests of civil servants who joined the CDM are taking place not only in Putao Township but also across the country.

“Many civil servants joined protests for two days at the beginning of the demonstrations. The Head of the Putao Township General Administration Department had allowed staff to join the CDM. The district head did not allow it. The department has started arresting CDM staff on the third-day of protest, in cooperation with the army. Staff are forced to sign a pledge about refraining from joining future protests. That is why they no longer participate in the protests,” a local source said.

Around 15 civil servants who joined the protests organized by locals are in hiding, and the State Administration Council is searching for them. Although civil servants from the forest, health and education sectors have all joined the CDM, they all are afraid they could be arrested.

Since February 5th, the anti-coup protests have been taking place in Putao. We will continue our peaceful protest against the military coup, a protest leader said.