Myanmar Citizens Refuse Environmental Administrator, Village Heads And District Heads Formed By A Military Regime

Rallies of Myanmar citizens. (Twitter/@MyatNoe53231837)

JAKARTA - The repressive action launched by the Myanmar military regime last week resulted in the death of a dozen protesters and hundreds of injuries and detention.

Rejecting the military coup of February 1, 2021, the protesters also rejected various policies issued after the coup, one of which was the formation of administrative councils in sub-districts and villages under the State Administration Council (SAC).

The State Administration Council is the governing body set up by the Myanmar military after the coup. After being formed, SAC formed district and city-level administrative councils. Under it, they form sub-district, village, and neighborhood administrative councils. Demonstrations and community objections continued.

Local residents in several regions and states protested against the new environmental administrators appointed by the Myanmar military regime.

In the regions of Yangon, Mandalay, Sagaing, Magwe, and Ayeyarwady, and Karen State, local residents have beaten pots and pans in front of the ward administration office, a sign of their disapproval of the military-appointed administrator.

Meanwhile, in North Okkalapa Township, hundreds of local residents protested against military-appointed officials last week.

“The administrators and the group they call the law enforcement team are core members of the USDP (Union Solidarity and Development Party) as well as ex-convicts. We can't take it. We can't even accept saints if they are appointed by the military, because those appointed by the military will do what the military orders," said Daw Mi Mi Win, who took part in the demonstration, as reported by The Irrawaddy.

In a number of districts in North Okkalapa, local residents have locked up the administrative office of the districts and hung posters that read: 'This district will be managed by the village residents themselves. No administrative officers will be accepted into this office from today'. Some posters refer to the designated person as 'traitor to the state'.

Similar protests took place in several other small towns including Sanchaung, Thingangyun, Tamwe, Kyimyindaing, Hline, Mayangone, and Thanlyin.

"We will oppose and condemn every pillar of the military council. We will not accept their rules. Everyone knows how military collaborators oppressed us during (military dictator) U Than Shwe,” said U Kyaw Thiha, a resident of Sanchaung Township.

Due to opposition from local residents, 11 village officials in Hline, 42 in Dagon Seikan, and four in Kyauktan have submitted their resignations.

“I don't want to take this job when the people are in strong opposition. I have lived in this neighborhood since I was young, and I don't want to be hated by the community by dancing to the rhythm of a dictator,” said a military-appointed environmental administrator who submitted his resignation.

In a neighborhood in Sagaing in central Myanmar, residents who oppose the military-appointed administrator have assigned a Buddhist monk to temporarily lead environmental affairs. In several villages in Myaung Township in Sagaing, local residents said they would manage their own villages until the government was re-elected to office.

Previously, district and village apparatuses were directly elected by residents based on the District and Village Management Law. They are now appointed directly by the sub-district administrative council set up by the military regime.