An official from the Department of Prisons, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the Military Council had instructed to provide emergency military training to staff and family members of the Department of Prisons in the Ayeyarwady region.

The Military Council has issued an emergency directive following an attack on a prison labour camp in Tamu, saying that basic military training must be provided before the end of January.

The prison staff member questioned who would attend the training and said he was going to try to avoid it.

It is not yet known whether or not staff will be armed after attending the military training.

“We have not been told what to do after the training. Here, weapons are given to us more than ever. As to my position, I do not have a right know much about that. We have had guns before. We are not in a position to hold it,” said the staff member.

When the Myanmar Army conducted offensives across Myanmar and the death toll was rising, the wives of soldiers were armed and ordered to guard and military training was provided to the family member of the police and reserve firefighters.