By Kantarawaddy Times
The Interim Executive Council (IEC) of Karenni State has reported that only 30% of its 1,091 staff members are participants in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). However, efforts are ongoing to increase this number, according to IEC General Secretary Khu Plu Reh, who spoke to Kantarawaddy Times.
“We always keep the door open for CDM personnel to join in administrative operations and other service-related sectors. Decisions for CDM reintegration in to the administrative body have already been made in this regard. However, challenges persist such as, financial constraints make it difficult to reintegrate all CDM staff; On the other hand, some CDM individuals themselves face difficulties transitioning back to work as staff” Khu Plu Reh explained.
The IEC, was established in June 2023, currently has nine active departments. Of the 316 CDM staff members employed across these departments, their involvement remains proportionally low, according to the General Secretary, Khu Plu Reh.
The IEC stated that when forming a department, it considers five key factors: representation from ethnic armed organizations, CDM participants, civil society organizations (CSOs), academics, indigenous groups, and women.
Currently, the health department has the highest percentage of CDM participation, while the internal affairs department also has a significant number of CDM participants, according to the IEC.
John, a representative of the Karenni CDM Civil Servants Committee, highlighted the importance of utilizing the skills and expertise of CDM participants in their previous fields of work. “If CDM personnel return to their original roles in areas such as administration, judiciary, education, or health, they can significantly contribute to the functionality and development of the state,” he said.
However, some CDM participants have chosen a different path. Maung Phet Kyan, a former education sector CDM staff member who joined the armed resistance, stated that he does not intend to return to his previous profession as education staff because he wants the revolution to succeed as quickly as possible.
“I’ve put in a lot of effort and made sacrifices for this revolution to succeed. If I were to think only of myself, I would pursue roles aligned with my passions, income-generating opportunities, or regular employment,” he remarked.
Despite financial difficulties preventing the IEC from employing all CDM staff members across its departments, the council remains optimistic that CDM involvement will grow during the upcoming transition period.
