The Democracy Movement Strike Committee-Dawei (DDSMC) has requested that the arrested teachers from the Dawei Technological University in Maung Mei Shaung Village, Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region, be released as soon as possible after the necessary interrogation is done.
A committee member of DDMSC said that Vice-Rector Kyaw Aung, Professor Su Su Lat and Professor Nandar Lwin, who were non-CDM teachers, and were arrested by the Ba Htoo Army on February 28, are requested to be released as soon as possible because they are not involved in committing crimes or violence that violates human rights.
“According to the CDM Policy published by the NUCC, I understand that there is no right to take action against non-CDMs who have not committed crimes, violated human rights, or are not involved in terrorism. For example, within the boundary of democracy, a person has the right to teach a subject he or she has mastered wherever he or she likes. If they do not have the right to teach because they are under the military junta, from what point of view will the law be enacted and punished?” he said.
In addition, a committee member of the DDMSC continued to explain that non-CDM employees need to be organized to join the CDM instead of being forced to join, as well as creating opportunities for CDMers and solving difficulties.
“Some non-CDM employees are struggling to support their families. These employees are not the ones who joined the military junta and worked after the coup. They were chosen for the transition to democracy by the civilian government, and they became non-CDM because they could not hold out for a long time when the coup took place. There were non-CDM people from the beginning. I think it is unfair to assume that they are guilty of such a situation,” said a committee member of the DDMSC.
Dawei Technological University vice-rector Kyaw Aung, Professor Su Su Lat and Professor Nandar Lwin were arrested for activating the military education system, the Ba Htoo Army announced on February 28.
After the arrest, the three were asked to be released by the DDMSC when contacted Ba Htoo Army’s information and communication officer, Htet Myat, who only replied, “We are currently under investigation, and we will conduct a thorough investigation. We will proceed with it.”
“We have a family of four. Two young children and an eighty-year-old mother. They all depend on me. I joined the revolution at the beginning of the revolution because I disliked the military dictatorship, but I had to return to the classroom because my livelihood was difficult for the long-term,” said a non-CDM school female teacher in Tanintharyi Township.
Therefore, the DDMSC requests that the three non-CDM employees of Dawei Technological University be released in accordance with the international human rights and values that the armed forces must respect if they have not committed any human rights violations, violence, or criminal offenses.