Three teachers who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and two female students from Leiktho area of Thandaunggyi Township, Karen State, were arrested by military council troops on 16 March while travelling to work in northern Shan State, according to sources close to family members.
The three local CDM teachers, and two school girls around 20 years old who had just passed their matriculation examination were arrested by military council troops halfway to work in northern Shan State. Their families have had no contact with them since then, said a woman close to one of the families.
“They went to teach through their connections. They stayed in Taunggyi for one night. I don’t know at which military checkpoint they were arrested. Their families were informed by their connection that they had been arrested,” she said.
The three CDM teachers and two students travelled to northern Shan State after the regional education committees there invited CDM teachers to keep their education sector running.
“They may have been arrested because some of the papers they were carrying were related to the job postings for CDM teachers in northern Shan State,” analyzed the woman, who is close to the family of one of the victims.
According to statements from revolutionary and education groups, over 500 basic education schools are set to open in northern Shan State, including towns recently captured by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), for the 2024-25 academic year. Therefore, CDM teachers from all over the country have been invited to participate in teaching.
The Ta’ang Land Education Council (TLEC) said that CDM teachers not only from northern Shan State but also from other regions have sent their applications and that they have been informed about the situation on the routes they would be travelling.
“We have also received applications from teachers from other regions. We also informed them in advance. We asked them to send only soft copies of the necessary documents. If they were coming to this area, we explained the safest routes and the situation on the ground as best we could. But, if they are arrested by the military, there is nothing we can do,” said a TLEC official.
Since the military coup, military council troops have arrested and killed revolutionary activists cross the country, including CDM participants. As of 19 March this year, more than 26,000 people have been arrested and more than 4,700 civilians killed, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
Sent by KIC.