Myanmar Military Seeks Return of Resigned Civil Servants

Myanmar’s military regime has issued a directive urging former civil servants who resigned in protest of the coup five years ago to resume their duties. The junta has promised to clear the names of absent government employees from any restrictive lists. Following the military’s seizure of authority in a coup on February 1, 2021, a significant number of public workers abandoned their positions in a wave of civil disobedience. In a recent announcement, the junta concluded a month-long election that it has promoted as a restoration of civilian governance. However, the ruling pro-military party secured a landslide victory, prompting concerns from observers who allege that the election was engineered to maintain the military’s control over the country.