Myanma Railways, which is facing difficulties in maintaining its assets after more than half of its employees joined Burma’s Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), announced on May 10 that it was looking to fill 60 deputy station master positions.

The military-controlled train network had previously filled such roles with experienced staffers from within the state-owned company, yet new applicants require no previous experience, according to sources inside the railway department.

“It means they are going to hire outsiders to run the trains. As far as I know, the department did not do this before,” a deputy station master told DVB.

Staff involvement in the CDM — the boycott has now lasted for over 14 months — is leading to serious disruptions in the running of Burma’s rail network.

As DVB has reported, soldiers and local administrators sympathetic to the junta have, since the coup, evicted thousands of CDM railway employees from government housing compounds across the country, with other facing arrest and intense pressure to return to their positions.

Despite these conditions, most continued to refuse to work, choosing instead to defy the military regime.

According to Myanma Railways’ job posting, applicants must be at least 30 years old, hold a bachelor’s degree, be at least 5’2” (157.5 cm) in height, and weigh between 100 and 160 lbs (45.4 and 72.5 kg).

For those wishing to drive trains on behalf of the military, an application deadline has been set for June 10.