Myanmar medical workers on strike against military coup
Feb 03, 2021
Naypyitaw [Myanmar], February 3 : The medical workers in Myanmar have announced a strike on Wednesday to protest against the coup by the military, also known as Tatmadaw.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, the front-line healthcare workers from more than 70 medical units and hospitals across the country announced a strike on Wednesday, refusing to work for the military regime.
"I was so relieved to get the vaccine a few days ago. But our future depends on how the country is run. We don't want to go back to the dark after staying in the light for some time," a 29-year-old doctor in Yangon who joined the strike told Al Jazeera.
Another doctor said, "The military coup will surely drag down the motivation of hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers who are at the front line of the war against the COVID-19. Volunteers, inspired by Aung San Suu Kyi, risked their lives to participate in containing COVID-19 ... Would a lot of people happily enlist themselves to be volunteers with Min Aung Hlaing in charge? I don't think so."
Myanmar's military launched the coup on Monday morning and detained State Counsellor Aun Sang Suu Kyi and President Win Myint and other National League for Democracy (NLD) leaders.
This military coup took place after days of escalating tensions between the government and the military in the aftermath of last November's general elections.
San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLD) claimed an overwhelming victory in the polls, securing over 80 per cent of the seats, according to media reports. However, the military and some political parties disputed the results, alleging that the polls were marred by irregularities.
According to media reports, the detentions started in the early hours of Monday (local time), with political leaders held in Yangon and other cities across Myanmar, and soldiers said to be out on the streets and at prominent landmarks.
