The police have beaten and arrested two female teachers who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement in front of Education Collage in Myitkyina Kachin State February 19th. Many more people backed he Civil Disobedience Movement have been attacked by police and military in a bid to break the nation-wide opposition to the coup.
A teacher who was an eyewitness said: “We arrived at the gathering point at 8.35 am. The police vehicles arrived there 45 minutes later. We ran away when a police rushed to attack us. Two teachers were left there. They also ran away. But the police arrested a teacher in front of me. The police forced another one to kneel down and beat her.”
The KIO and its EAO –the KIA have expressed their concern about civilian casualties during demonstrations after the new military decree Article 144. The KIO observed “the police and soldiers may resort to brute force to stop protesters. “said Lamai Gum Ja, from Kachin Peace-Talk Creation Group (PCG). The Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/A) has declared that “they will stand with the people, if the military regime’s security forces attack them for opposing its rule in Kachin State.”
The detained teachers are: Daw Aye Kyi Kyi Sein from Basic Education High School in Pamdai and Daw Aye Chan May from Waingmaw Township. The police also beat and arrested some civilians according to witnesses.
A female eyewitness said: “The police beat two teachers riding a motorbike in front of education college signboard. The motorbike fell down. I saw both were injured.”
The police and soldiers arrived at the protest place in two police vehicles and five military vehicles to arrest civilian servants and civilians who are protesting the military coup.
“So far, the police have arrested around 15 people in total, including two teachers,” according to a lawyer from Myitkyina Township. The Tatmadaw has blocked the regular gathering points in Myitkyina Township. In addition, the police and soldiers are trying to disperse the crowds in the city.
It is not clear how the situation may escalate. The PCG have often served as a mediator between the KIO/KIA and Burma Army during peace negotiations in Kachin State. Religious leaders have also acted as mediators.
However, the Kachin News reported that although the ethnic armed organization (EAO) said it won’t get involved in the coup, it seen a message to the Burma Army through the Kachin Peace-Talk Creation Group (PCG) that “violence against the people won’t be tolerated.
