Myanmar’s military junta has ordered protesting Public Servants to return to work, threatening action against those who disobey.
A civil disobedience movement demonstrating against the military coup on 1 February began with doctors, but now affects a swathe of Government Departments.
“Actions can be taken for breaching Civil Servant ethics, regulations, and failure of duty according to the Civil Service Code of Conduct,” a statement from the junta said.
Earlier, the leader of the junta, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said Public Servants should return to work as soon as possible and “concentrate on the interests of the people rather than their own emotions”.
However, for the moment at least, that order is being widely disobeyed as Public Servants appear to be leading the protests against the coup and demanding the release of detained, democratically-elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Tanks have been deployed around several Public Service buildings and police have opened fire to disperse protesters at a power plant in northern Myanmar. There was no word on casualties.
Observers said the Public Service protests had turned into a full-scale strike of Government workers and that many functions of the Government were crippled.
Strikers held up signs outside the Central Bank, calling on workers there to join the protest. They also demonstrated outside the Chinese Embassy.
In the latest sign of disruption by workers, the Department of Civil Aviation said in a statement many staff had stopped coming to work, causing flight delays.
Some trains have also stopped running, media reported.
Ms Suu Kyi’s party won a 2015 election and another on 8 November, but the military said the vote was marred by fraud and used that complaint to justify its coup.
The Electoral Commission has dismissed accusations of fraud.
The Government and army could not be reached for comment.
Naypyidaw, 16 February 2021
