CDM nursing student’s home sealed off in Yangon; detained midwife released but uncle arrested in Mandalay 

By DMG 22 Dec 2021

DMG Newsroom
22 December 2021, Yangon 

Regime forces sealed off the home of a second-year nursing student who is also a Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) participant in Nyaung Kone village, part of Yangon Region’s Hlegu Township. 

A source close to the nursing student told DMG that she fled the house along with her family on November 24 after a complaint alleged that there were explosive devices at the home. 

“The junta forces’ informers falsely reported that there were explosive devices inside the house,” said the source. “The army and police came to the house and asked them to present themselves and be arrested within three days. But they didn’t come, so junta forces seized the house today.

Arrest warrants have been issued for the family as they ran from being arrested.” 

The seizure of the nursing student’s home is believed to be the first of its kind, according to members of the nursing community. The Myanmar Nurse and Midwife Association has decried the seizure, calling it unfair. 

On December 20, a midwife in Mandalay was arrested by junta personnel and subsequently released, but her uncle was also arrested and remains detained, according to a family member. 

“The forces came to her home and arrested her. They raided the house with large forces. She was later released. Her uncle was arrested again. It is not yet known what the case is,” said the family member.  

According to sources close to the regime council, healthcare workers who join with the CDM are liable to be charged under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code, an incitement provision. 

Additionally, the junta is reportedly looking to take legal action against civil servants involved in the CDM by targeting them for “misuse of funds” if they received a Covid-19 loan, which the previous government provided to alleviate the impacts of the pandemic. 

According to the Health Ministry of the National Unity Government (NUG) in exile, more than 100,000 healthcare workers have joined the CDM since Myanmar’s military staged a coup on February 1.