Nearly 100 people have sought refuge from the ruling military coup council in territory controlled by the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS).

Those fleeing the regime include civil servants, staff from private companies and protesters against the junta, which seized power on February 1 and has faced widespread public opposition ever since.  

Security forces have been carrying out arrests of people who have joined the ongoing Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and are resisting the military dictatorship through mass demonstrations and a general strike.

Government staff are among those concerned for their safety, with many going into hiding to avoid detention in military camps and prisons for refusing to work under the new regime.

“People are seeking refuge in our area. For security reasons, I cannot tell you the exact number. It’s nearly 100 people,” Maj Kham San, a spokesperson for the RCSS, told SHAN.

He added that the RCSS had made public the phone number of their regional contact person on their Tai Freedom Facebook page for anyone in danger.

The RCSS has announced that they will accept into their area any civil servants, government staff, soldiers, police or members of the public who have joined the CDM, oppose the military dictatorship, and are concerned for their safety.

The Burma Army attacked the RCSS in Mong Nawng Township on March 9, after the RCSS held an informal meeting online with the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), which is emerging as a parallel interim administration in opposition to the military.