Mandalay authorities arrest people for using old bags

IMNA, Asah

The local authorities in Mandalay arrested some residents who used old plastic bags to carry vegetables and meat from the city market.

The Mandalay traffic police stopped people with already used rubber bags. They have been arrested and fined, according to witnesses.

“They made us pay a fine of 5000 kyat, because we were carrying the goods we bought in old bags. Another 10 people were arrested with us”, a source close to those arrested previously revealed.

The authorities in Mandalay city announced that people couldn’t use any more old plastic bags. The reason is the bags contain a virus which could harm the health of the people and could spread a disease.

“I noticed 4 or 5 persons paying each a fine of 10 000 kyat to police officers. They all were using old bags”, a witness said.

A new plastic bag costs 50 kyat. The police usually impose a fine between 5000 and 10 000 kyat to those who breach the regulations. Most of the people in Burma prefer to use bags as it is easy to bring anything.

The announcement which bans the use of the old plastic bags was made in June 2009, the “New Light of Myanmar” reported. There are more than 30 spots where the residents of the city can buy new bags from.

READ MORE---> Mandalay authorities arrest people for using old bags...

Forced militia training conducted in Ye Township

HURFOM (Rehmonnya): On July 3rd, the Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 343 led militia training in Ye Township. The LIB forced residents to choose between participating or paying a 6,000 kyat fine.

Nai Myo, a Arutaung villager explained, “At about 9:00 AM the village headman Nai Htun Thin announced every household has to attend the militia training, which [was] lead by the LIB No. 343. He said that this announcement came from the LIB No. 343, and everyone must follow the policy. He said the LIB No. 343 needed about 50 people from our village to attend the training.”

“One of my cousins had to attend the militia training because his family couldn’t afford to pay,” Nai Myo continued. “My cousin said ‘they just taught us how to beat people, and how to control the villagers. They didn’t allow us to hold real guns; they just gave us bamboo sticks to pretend with. One sergeant and 5 soldiers trained us, and about 20 villagers attended the militia training.’”

In the instance of Aurtaung village, most residents chose to pay rather then attend the training. Nai Myo stated, “In our village, we have about 1000 households. Most people were paying money instead of attending the training. Therefore, the authorities collected a lot of money during the militia training.”

Similar incidents of forced militia training and irregular taxation have occurred in the villages of Sonnatha and Ah Phor.

A Sonnatha villager said, “In our village, the village headman Ko Myo Win collected 6,000 [kyat] from each household for the militia training. But we didn’t hear who had to attend the training – I think everyone one in the village paid. There are about 500 household in our village.”

“In our village the authorities set up a signboard for the announcement. The village headman said that the authorities needed about 200 villagers to attend the training,” an Ah Phor villager explained. “If a household didn’t have a son or father, they could pay 6,000 kyat for the training. Everyone else was forced to join the training.”

A political investigator based in Ye Township concluded, “They are preparing for the coming election and an uprising in the villages. In addition, they are preparing to prevent people from uprising if Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is kept in prison.”

(Editors Note: All names have been changed for security reasons)

READ MORE---> Forced militia training conducted in Ye Township...

Army on Four cuts campaign again

Shanland News

Following a series of attacks staged by the anti-Naypyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ that had inflicted heavy casualties on junta patrols roving the countryside, the Burma Army is launching a major retaliation campaign against the populace, according to reports coming to Thailand.

Several villages have been burned down, their occupants forcibly relocated and some beaten and detained by units under the command of Mongnawng – based Military Operations Command #2 since 27 July. So far, units involved in the latest “4 cuts” drive (cutting food, funds, intelligence and recruits to the armed resistance by local populace) include at least the following infantry battalions (IBs) and light infantry battalions (LIBs):

• IB 9 - Loilem
• IB 12 - Loilem
• IB 64 - Laikha
• IB 248 - Mongnai
• LIB 515 - Laikha

Villages affected include:

• Hokhai - Lahu - Mongkeung township
• Tard Mawk - Shan - Laikha township
• Holom - Shan - Laikha township
• Kunhoong - Shan - Laikha township
• Mongyai - Shan - Laikha township
• Nawngtao - Lahu - Kehsi township
• Mongleum - Lahu - Kehsi township
• Zizaw - Shan - Kehsi township
• Pakang - Shan - Kehsi township

The Lahu villages were relocated from northern Shan State to the south following a 3-year massive 4 cuts campaign (1996-98) that destroyed 1,500 villages and displaced more than 300,000 people.

“The officer that came to our village was polite and did not look happy,” a woman that fled with her family to Laikha was quoted as saying. “He told us that he had been ordered to burn the village. ‘As a soldier, I cannot disobey. If you have anything you want to take with you, please collect them and leave.’”

For most other villages, they had not time to take much. “The soldiers came in, drove us out of our houses and started burning after spraying them with liquid fuel that smelled like kerosene.”

At least 200 houses were razed to the ground in Tardmawk, Holom and Kunhoong alone.

Long Ti, Tard Mawk tract headman was reportedly beaten while under interrogation and taken to Laikha.

“This is what we call am pay maw, paw kark (You can’t do anything to the pot, so you smash the cooking spoon) behavior,” a survivor said. “Why do they treat us like this if they want our support?”

The SSA South had launched attacks against isolated outposts and patrols beginning 21 May, the 51st anniversary of the Shan resistance. During the last engagement on 15 July, the Burma Army’s LIB 515 suffered 11 killed, 1 captured and 5 assorted weapons loss.

Latest report 1/8/09 21:00

Burma Army “Burning” columns withdrew following a visit to Laikha by a senior officer from the regional command today, according to the SSA South. “Some 400 families have lost their houses,” said Col Yawdserk, SSA leader. “This is a case for the Asean human rights body.”

August 1st, 2009

READ MORE---> Army on Four cuts campaign again...

Father fined for son sleeping in shop

Buthidaung, Arakan State (KPN): A father was fined by Burma’s border security force, Nasaka because his son slept in his shop instead of at home. He was penalized when the authorities were checking the family list on July 20, according to a friend of father.

The victim was identified as Abul Boshor (60), of Ward. No. 6 of Krinthama village of Buthidaung Township.

His son Shabbir Rahman (35) has a shop in Ward No. 4, though he is living in Ward No. 6. On that night, his son was sleeping in the shop when the Nasaka came to his house to check the family list. The Nasaka did not find Shabbbir Rahaman in his house. His father had already told them that his son was not present.

However, the Nasaka wanted to extort money from Abul Boshor and fined him kyat 100,000 and another 100,000 kyat for his son, said a local elder.

Nasaka and other concerned authorities barged into the Rohingya villages for extortion from the community by making false and fabricated allegations, said a schoolteacher on condition of anonymity.

“Though there is no activity of any rebellion group in Arakan, the concerned authorities create harassment for the Rohingya community and extort money by making allegations, which are not relevant,” said a local youth on condition of anonymity.

August 1st, 2009

READ MORE---> Father fined for son sleeping in shop...

Nasaka orders shooting Rohingy youth in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State (KPN): On July 15, the Commander Burma’s border security force Nasaka of area No. 9 in Buthidaung Township ordered his armed forces to shoot a Rohingya youth wherever and whenever they find him as he did not comply with the order of Nasaka, said a close relative of the victim preferring not to be named.

The victim was identified as Md. Yasin (20), son of former village chairman Saber, from Paungdaw Pyin vllage of Buthidaung Township.

The victim Md. Yasin fell in love with Arafat Begum (18), daughter of Noor Mohamed, from the same village. But, this information reached the Nasaka camp through their secret agent. As a result, he was summoned to the camp, but he did not appear. The Nasaka also tried to arrest him, but failed.

The Nasaka called his father Saber to the Nasaka camp and asked him to bring his son to the camp or to pay kyat 500,000. So, the father agreed and was released after he had fulfilled their demand, said a friend of Saber.

However, after getting the money, the Nasaka again demanded extra kyat 2 million from his son. The son fled. The Nasaka Commander was very angry with him and ordered his armed forces to shoot him wherever they seem him.

Recently, the Nasaka authorities have increased their activities against the Rohingya youths whether they are involved in love affairs with girls or not and extort money,, said a local youth who declined to be named.

Nasaka has imposed marriage restrictions on the Rohingya community for a long time and the Rohingya youths and girls are facing many difficulties. Rohingya youths and girls who are able to give a huge bribe to the concerned authorities are able to tie the knot. There are many poor youths and girls who are not able to marry because of money to get marriage permission. The authorities deliberately do not give permission in time, said a local businessman requesting not to be named.

READ MORE---> Nasaka orders shooting Rohingy youth in Maungdaw...

Going to police in Maungdaw leads to extortion

Maungdaw, Arakan State (KPN): Reporting to the police station in Maungdaw is a difficult proposition, said a local elder.

Recently, the police force in Maungdaw police station arrested people, who went to the police station to report cases, he said.

Buzuruk Meah from Maungnama village of Maungdaw was arrested by the police yesterday when he went to report that his three year old son, Syed Ahmed had fallen into a roadside pond and died, said a village authority member of Maungnama.

The accident occurred when some village children were playing on the road. Both sides of the road were filled with rain water. Syed suddenly fell into the water. His friends screamed for help and the villagers rushed to the spot but found Syed had died, he said.

When the father went to the police station with the village authority member and other village elders, the police arrested him and other villagers except the village authority member. The police interrogated the village authority member about the accident.

The police released all the villagers except Buzuruk. He was freed after the police extorted Kyat 120,000, said a villager who was arrested with Buzuruk.

In Maungdaw, Anwar a shopkeeper, who went to report about harassment by a local Rakhine goon, was arrested and kept for a day in custody. He was released after he paid Kyat 200,000 demanded by the police, said a shopkeeper in Maungdaw Market.

“If the law enforcement department is troubling the public, where will the people go for justice,” asked a student in Maungdaw.

When asked about the accident an elder from Maungdaw said, “We complained to the concerned authorities, but no action was taken”.

(Jeg's: And extortion is legal as per the Home Ministry, read here)

READ MORE---> Going to police in Maungdaw leads to extortion...

Burmese Muslims attack government office

(DVB)–Around 40 Muslims in western Burma were detained for allegedly ransacking a local immigration office after officials there assaulted a local Muslim man for not paying a fine.

A resident in Arakan state’s Kyauk Ni Maw village said the dispute started after a local Muslim man who returned from travelling refused to pay a fine for exceeding stay outside of the village as shown in his travel permit.

Muslims in Arakan state are required to get a document known as the Form-4 from government immigration if they want to travel outside of their region.

“He said he couldn’t pay the money they asked for as he had already paid a lot acquiring the [permission] document and the officials [at the immigration office] beat him up,” said the village resident, adding that he was left with a broken arm and vomiting blood.”

News on the attack quickly spread to Kyauk Ni Maw village where 75 percent of the population are Muslim. Some local villagers, including the man’s relatives, were enraged.

“They went to the immigration office and beat up the people who beat up the man. They also tore down the office building and broke some flag poles,” he said.

Following the incident, authorities arrested around 40 people, including some who were not involved, the villager said, and detained them in nearby Yanbyal township jail.

The detainees are due to appear in court on 10 August where they will face charges for breaching peace.

“They just arrested random people, but all Muslim, in the village without identifying who was involved in the attack,” said the villager. “Some people had already fled in fear of getting arrested in connection with the case.”

Muslims living in Burma have long been marginalized by the military government.

Three prominent ‘anti-Muslim’ riots have erupted in Burma in the past 12 years following heightened tension between Muslims and Buddhists.

Their situation was thrown into the spotlight earlier this year when around 1000 Rohingya refugees washed up in boats on Thailand’s shores, only to be towed back out to sea and set adrift by Thai authorities.

The Rohingya, who are a minority Muslim population, are not recognized by the Burmese government and suffer frequent discrimination due to their lack of legal status.

Reporting by Thurein Soe

READ MORE---> Burmese Muslims attack government office...

Forced labour persists at Karen refugee camp

(DVB)–Instances of forced labour, forced army recruitment and extortion are still being reported at the refugee camp in Burma’s eastern Karen state that was overrun by a pro-junta militia last month.

The Ler Per Har camp was a focal point of fighting last month between government troops, supported by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), and opposition Karen National Union (KNU).

Around 4000 Karen civilians have fled across the border into Thailand, many of whom reported cases of being forced to act as porters for the army, and to walk in front of army patrols as minesweepers.

The Bangkok-based Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) last week said that while fighting had eased, reports of the forced labour, portering and exortion of money, food and livestock from villagers by the DKBA continued.

“These abuses continue to result in more people fleeing their villages and crossing to Thailand,” the TBBC statement said, adding that a further 200 people had crossed the border into Thailand in the 24 hours prior to the statement’s release.

The populous Ler Per Har camp accommodates internally displaced refugees inside Burma, although the Burmese government have said that KNU troops also reside there.

A source from the TBBC said that the DKBA were making the lives of villagers around the conflict zones “unbearable”.

“The DKBA come to villages and tell families that they want their sons in the army,” the source said.

“They come and ask for money; when the villagers cannot pay this, they ask for livestock.”

Pressuring the DKBA and Burmese troops to end forced labour and extortion is very difficult, said the TBBC.

There has been talk however of a long-term plan by the Thai government to negotiate with the DKBA and the Burmese junta for the safe return of the refugees currently holed up in various sites on the Thai side of the border.

According to the TBBC statement, around 2000 people have moved from temporary sites in and around Nu Poh village near to the Thai-Burma border to a new camp nearby.

The fighting between Burmese troops and the armed wing of the KNU, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), began on 2 June.

Since then, Burmese troops have taken two strategically important KNLA bases. It is unclear how many people have died in the fighting.

Fighting between the Burmese army and the KNU began in 1949, and is thought to be the world’s longest running internal conflict.

Reporting by Francis Wade

READ MORE---> Forced labour persists at Karen refugee camp...

DKBA ramps up civilian abuses and set sights on Brigade 6

IMNA, Mon Son

Karen people are fleeing in droves to Thailand as the Democratic Karen Buddhist Association (DKBA) commits ongoing human rights abuses.

The Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) recently reported on the tense situation to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Thailand-based Karen Refugee Committee (KRC).

According to the report, about 200 Karen people have reached the Tha Song Yang district, Tak province in the last 24 hours alone, mainly taking temporary shelter at the Mae U Su site.

The report also detailed DKBA abuses such as forced recruitment, portering and the extortion of money, food, and livestock. Such abuses have become push factors for Karen migration and the creation of many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

This month the DKBA and the Burmese army have launched a joint offensive against the Karen National Union (KNU), the main political party of the Karen people. Brigade 7 area has already fallen and the combined forces are now targeting Brigade 6, which includes 18 villages between Three Pagodas Pass Township and Kyainnseikyi Township.

The general secretary of the KRC said, “The number of Karen people arriving in Thailand has increased to 500 people [in the Tha Song Yang district]. Since [fighting began] between the KNU and the DKBA, Karen people have fled to Thailand. Karen people are seeking shelter from the NGOs and the Thai government.”

According to a July 19th story by the Human Rights Foundation of Monland, the Burmese military’s Southeast Command (SEC) has begun using a variety of internal tactics in Karen State, including using DKBA name registries to require two baskets of rice per household, with a 10,000 kyat penalty for failing to provide this.

READ MORE---> DKBA ramps up civilian abuses and set sights on Brigade 6...

Burmese military demands food supplies under DKBA name

Burmese military demands food supplies using DKBA name

HURFOM (Rehmonnya): In a internal document issued on July 19th 2009, the Burmese military Southeast Command (SEC) instructed Tactical Command No.1 based in the Anankwin, Three Pagoda township to force household to give two baskets of rice and other vegetables (1basket equal to 32 Kg) to military forces. If a household does not have the rice to meet the demands, the military will take 10,000 kyat.

While it was not ordered in the document, as an additional threat military forces have been telling villagers if they cannot afford to pay they will be forced to work as porters instead. SPDC forces have been collecting food supplies from Anankwin, Taung Son, Ko Du Kwe, Khone Khen, Tanpayar, Laypoe and Lone Si villages. For many the loss of these supplies had produced many economic difficulties.

“I already gave them 2 baskets of rice. Now, I have nothing left in my house. If you can’t afford two baskets of rice you need to pay 10,000 Kyat,” according to a 45 year-old Anankwin villager. “But, if you can (not) afford to pay with rice or money, they will force you to serve as a porter. Now, I need to work hard and replenish my rice for this rainy season.”

He added, “On that day, the SPDC soldiers collected rice and other food supplies from about 90 households in Taung Son village.”

28 years old Ko Du Kwe villager Saw Mann Lay (not real name) said, “In our village Meh Pra (locally known as Ko Du Kwe), over 50 households have had to pay rice and food supplies. But we don’t know yet what will happen with the villagers who can’t afford to pay either money or rice. If they can’t, our village has to support them. We don’t have any other way; either some villagers help them to give supplies to the military, or they will be serving in the porter service.”

HURFOM received a copy of the military telegram order that came from the SEC to Tactical Command No.1 in Anankwin. The orders specifically advise that SPDC forces who are gathering food should tell villagers the supplies will be used to support the DKBA soldiers led by the Saw Lel Bwe, who are advancing towards KNLA brigade No.6 territory.

HURFOM also interviewed the DKBA liaison officer in Three Pagoda Town, “We have not commanded troops to collect food supplies from the villager. Also, we never allowed our troops to collect food supplies from the villager.”

READ MORE---> Burmese military demands food supplies under DKBA name...

Youth arrested by Nasaka for marrying

Maungdaw, Arakan State (KPN): A youth was picked up by Burma’s border security force, Nasaka on July 19, in Maungdaw Township for marrying without informing, said a close relative of the victim requesting anonymity.

The victim was identified as Abul Hussain (25), son of Abdu Salam hailing from Maung Nama Village of Maungdaw Township.

On July 19 night, a section of Nasaka personnel from Pawet Chaung outpost camp in Maungdaw Township went to the victim’s house and arrested him on the allegation that he had married without informing the authorities. He was hustled to the Naska camp.

He tied the knot with a girl two years ago. He had submitted an application to the Nasaka, but he did not get permission because he failed to pay money to the local officer. He went ahead and married a girl in 2007 without informing the Nasaka, said a local trader on condition of anonymity.

The Nasaka camp received the information, albeit late, so Abul Hussain was arrested for extortion. They (Nasaka) only want money from the Rohingya community, locals alleged.

However, the victim was released on July 22, after paying Kyat 600,000 to the Nasaka officer, according to an elder related to the victim.

There are many unmarried girls in northern Arakan given the scarcity of youths. This is because many youths have fled Burma following persecution by Burmese authorities. The youths are unable to marry because of financial crisis and not being able to pay a huge bribe to the Nasaka, said a religious leader who declined to be named.

Since 1999,

Burma's border security force
has imposed marriage restrictions on
the Rohingya community

. The marriageable age was fixed at 24 years for bridegrooms and 18 years for brides. The couples are not allowed to have more than two children and the bridegroom cannot take more than one wife. The grooms also have to be clean-shaven to be eligible for marriage permits. A few people have got marriage permits after offering huge bribes to the Nasaka.

23 July 2009

READ MORE---> Youth arrested by Nasaka for marrying...

Extortion Increases in Arakan's Rambree

Rambree (Narinjara): Extortion in Rambree Township in Arakan State has been on the increase, particular extortion committed by the township chairman, said a retired school headmaster from Rambree.

He said that Township Chairman U Aung Kyaw Zaw has extorted taxes from many businessmen in Rambree Township with threats of not providing them permits for future business operations.

U Aung Chit Than, who owns and operates the Rangoon-Rambree bus route, gave 100,000 kyat to the township chairman recently after being threatened with having his operation permit withdrawn.

U Tun Wai, who is also a bus owner from Sapar Ton Village under Lay Daung Village Tract in Rambree, gave 100,000 to the chairman in June after being similarly threatened.

U Nyo Win, a tractor owner from Ward One in Rambree, had to pay 100,000 kyats to U Aung Kyaw Zaw after he failed to meet the chairman when he was summoned.

U Than Kyaw, chairman of Ward Five in Rambree, and Ko Than Min Naing, a rickshaw puller, each had to give 5,000 kyats to the chairman. They were forced to pay after their tractor and rickshaw respectively crossed in front of the township chairman's motorbike when he was traveling in Rambree.

According to a source, the extorted money was transferred to him through the bank account that was opened at the government bank in the name of the township chairman fund.

Many high government officials in Arakan, including army and navy officials, have extorted money from the public recently because they believe they will lose this privilege after the 2010 election.

After the 2010 election, it is believe that the new government that comes to power will change the government administration system. Because of that, the government officials currently in power are taking advantage of the current situation to extort as much money as possible from the public, the retired teacher said.

READ MORE---> Extortion Increases in Arakan's Rambree...

Tycoons close to junta to disburse agri loans

Burma's new banking system
"Cronies' Agricultural Investments
we lend you the money,
we own your land
a new development instructed by Junta" -- Jeg's quote

Rangoon (Mizzima) – The Burmese military junta has instructed 25 companies owned by top business tycoons, close to the regime, to disburse agricultural loans to farmers.

Businessmen, known to be cronies of the junta’s generals, dealing in rice have been asked to provide agricultural loans of Kyat 50,000 [approximately USD 50] to 100,000 per acre to farmers in Irrawaddy and Pegu Division at 2 per cent of interest rates per month.

According to the Myanmar Rice Producers’ Association, top businessmen like Zaw Zaw of Max Company, Chit Khaing of Aden Construction Works, Khin Shwe of Zay Kabar Company are leading the consortium of companies, businessmen and farmers in providing the loan.

A businessman, who is a partner of Gold Delta Company specializing in rice, led by Aden Chin Khaing said that they were assigned to provide production costs, technology and farm implements to rice producers on behalf of the junta.

“Of these 25 companies, some are owned and run by a single person. Some are in partnership with two or three companies,” he added.

“Gold Delta comprises 21 companies. Almost 30 local businessmen and farmers from Dahnuphyu are among them. We will start our business with a total paid up capital of Kyat 10 billion,” he said.

But some companies such as Htoo Trading and ‘Union of Myanmar Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry’ (UMFCCI) Chairman Win Myint are into the business as sole traders with their own capital, the businessman said.

Htoo Trading Co. Project Director Ye Min Oo said that their company has invested Kyat 3 billion in the business. Local businessmen from Bogale invested Kyat 2 billion in the business and will provide agricultural loan of Kyat 50,000 per acre.

Gold Delta Co. headed by ‘Aden’ Chit Khaing invested Kyat 10 billion and will provide loans of Kyat 100,000 per acre to the farmers in about 500 villages.

Following the foot-step, several other businessmen have began setting up companies with names such as Kyaiklat Rice Producing Co. owned by Dagon International Co. in Kyaiklat Township, Irrawaddy Agricultural Development Co. owned by ‘Yuzana’ Htay Myint in Pyapon Township, Max Myanmar Co. owned by Zaw Zaw in Yekyi and Ah Thote Townships, Shwe Nagar Min Co. owned by Win Myint in Myaungmya Township, a company owned by Wady in Maubin.

But a few businessmen in Burma views the new initiative as the junta’s effort to soothe the anger of farmers, who have accused the government of failing to provide assistance, and to allow a few businessmen, whom the junta has selected as candidates for the 2010 election, to be able to campaign for the election.

Most of the businessmen involved in the consortium are blacklisted in the US and EU economic sanctions against Burma. US have announced the names of over 100 businessmen, whom they called are providing financial lifeline to the junta, under the list.

In the wake of the brutal crackdown against peaceful demonstrators in the 2007 September saffron revolution led by monks, where scores of protesters were killed and thousands of activists arrested, the US and EU imposed targeted sanctions against State owned enterprises, the top echelon of the junta, protégés of the junta and their business networks.

Following the devastating Cyclone Nargis, which destroyed paddy fields and inundated many more with sea water, farmers find low yields in their work. While some farmers have welcomed the loan programme, many worried that they might be asked to payback with their paddy products at a reduced price.

Farmers said, they have bitter experiences in the past, where they took loans from businessmen, local army units and even local authorities in exchange for their paddy products. But they were forced to give their products at a much lesser rate then in the market.

In some cases, famers who are unable to repay their loans and do not have a good yield of paddy, they are forced to surrender their land for the loan they have taken.

Farmers from Thakan village tract on Bogale-Pyapon highway said that some of the farmers in their areas dare not take loans even at cheap interest rates.

But a project director at ‘Htoo’ Trading Co. told Mizzima, “The businessmen are doing this because they have been directed by the State. We don’t expect any economic benefits from the farmers. Two per cent interest rate is nothing for us.” (JEG's: of course 2% is nothing to cronies as they are taking the land which is worth a lot more)

Sources at the Ministry of Economics and Commerce said the government have instructed the companies dealing in rice, that they could export rice only after deducting the amount allotted for sales in the region.

A former executive committee member of the UMFCCI told Mizzima, “We are doing this mainly because of pressure from seniors [junta’s high officials]. We have no intention of extracting profit from the farmers. Our main concern is free export of rice. In this country, authorities, if we follow their instructions usually give us other business opportunities.”

He said, besides, farmers would be thankful to the businessmen for providing loans and could gain their support, which could serve as a campaign for the upcoming 2010 election. (JEG's: elections campaign aha?...)

Sources at the Myanmar Rice Traders Association said Burma set the target of rice export at maximum 1.5 million tons for the this fiscal year - April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010. Burma was able to export over 658,000 tons of rice in the 2008-09 fiscal year.

While Burma’s export quality rice contains about 25 per cent of broken rice, it cost about USD 320 per ton in the export market. Over 80 per cent of Burma’s exports in rice goes to African countries.

READ MORE---> Tycoons close to junta to disburse agri loans...

Counter people with people: Home Minister

by May Kyaw

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The Home Minister of the Burmese military junta had at a point of time exhorted the staff members of the General Administration Department at a meeting to ‘counter people with people and counter politics with politics’.

In the Home Ministry’s directive, a copy of which has been leaked and is with Mizzima, the Home Minister Maj. Gen. Maung Oo had given such a blatant instruction to officials of the General Administration (GA) Department at a meeting in Naypyitaw Home Ministry’s Meeting Hall on 20 January 2007.

“Counter people with people, counter politics with politics. There is no need to get involved personally. Do it carefully and do it daringly,” he had directed.

In the six-page directive, he had instructed organizing of NGOs so as to be pro-government, to mobilze people, not to confront the army, to go in for fund raising for the welfare of the Home Ministry staff members and to monitor the activities of the ‘National League for Democracy’ (NLD).

Moreover Maj. Gen. Maung Oo had also said that the staff of the Home Ministry should use their power for their livelihood instead of begging.

“Regarding smuggling, arrest them. Report to the authorities, anything you seize from them, either a car or a motorcycle. Surrender them to the customs department. You will get 50 per cent reward money from these goods. So you don’t need to beg, but arrest them for your living,” the directive says.

He had also talked of the junta’s plan of holding mass rallies against the opposition forces in late 2007 to senior officials in the GA Department across the country.

Following the saffron revolution in September 2007, protest rallies were organized by the junta backed civilian organisation - ‘Union Solidarity and Development Association’ - in some States and Divisions across the country.

The meeting presided by the Maung Oo was also attended by the Burmese Deputy Home Minister and Director General of the General Administration.

During the meeting, Deputy Minister Brig. Gen. Phone Swe advised GA officials to build trust and win the respect of ethnic people in their respective regions and to prepare for joining a political party.

Director General Myat Ko also informed the ‘District Peace and Development Council’ (DPDC) Chairmen and ‘Township Peace and Development Council’ Chairmen to thoroughly scrutinize before giving recommendations to establishment of social organizations and to make office expenses frugally.

The DPDC and TPDC are under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry’s GA Department. While most Chairmen of DPDC has military backgrounds, a few are selected from the civilians and there are a total of 62 districts in the Burmese administration.

Divisional and State level PDC are controlled and are under the charge of the commander of the military regional command in their respective regions.

READ MORE---> Counter people with people: Home Minister...

Crime Rates, Begging, Mental Illness Increase in Sittwe

Dhaka (Narinjara): People in Arakan State have been facing an economic crisis that has contributed to increased rates of crime, begging, and mental illness across the state, particularly in the capital Sittwe, said a woman from the city.

She said, "The rate of beggars, crimes, and lunatics are increasing day after day in Sittwe, which is the outcome of the economic crisis in our state. I have never seen many beggars on the streets of Sittwe before, but now there are many beggars in Sittwe who are roaming the town to ask for food and other assistance."

According to a source, most poor people in Sittwe are working as rickshaw pullers but the daily earnings of rickshaw pullers is inadequate for their families' daily survival. The rental price of a rickshaw is also 700 kyats per day in Sittwe.

"In Sittwe, the number of rickshaws is higher than the number of travelers. The rickshaw pullers have difficulty getting money from the job. Sometimes, the rickshaw pullers can not pay the rental charge to rickshaw owners as they do not have enough money from working. So the family members come out into the streets to beg for food and money," the woman said.

The economy in Sittwe is not doing well right now and everybody is facing financial difficulty. Because of this, the rate of begging and crime have also increased in the capital.

"Most women in Sittwe now avoid walking on the street with jewelry because many robberies have taken place in Sittwe recently. In the last month alone, there were three day time robberies in Sittwe," she added.

Even though robberies are increasing in Sittwe, those who are committing the crimes have not been arrested by police and remain on the streets.

While crime and begging increase, mental illness is also increasing in Sittwe, with the majority of those afflicted being men.

U Tha Kyaw, a store owner, said, "Most of the people have lost their businesses in the Sittwe in the last two or three years. Many of them have turned to drinking alcohol after their livelihoods collapsed. They then lose their minds."

Another source said that some youths in Sittwe are engaging in drug abuse and some are also suffering from mental illness as a result of that abuse.

In Arakan State, the economy is getting worse by the day and no one has been left unaffected. Despite this severe situation, the military government has no apparent plan to help the situation or boost the economy in the state.

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Kawdut Headmistress' extortion

10th grade students have to give headmistress 20,000 kyat

WCRP (Rehmonnya): 10th grade students were required to pay 20,000 kyat to the headmistress in Kawdut village, Ye Township, Mon State, said a local source.

The families of the students who passed their exams were expected to each shoulder the fees; 31 of 60 students passed in March.

According to a teacher, the Kawdut headmistress said that, “this year we have to repair the school, so the students who passed the exam have to pay 20,000 kyat per each.”

Student parents became upset upon hearing about this request. One parent said, “The school is new and they built a stone school. We don’t see where the school needs repairs and why they said they have to pay for school repairs we don’t understand. In other villages, if the students pass the exam they are given a prize. We never see the other villages [pay as we do].”

The normal registration fee for the Kawdut village 10th grade students is 4,200 kyat; this cost does not include textbooks and other materials.

According to a teacher from a Mon school in Kawdut village, “when my brother attends grade 10th, we have to spend a lot of money for school costs. I may think, after 10th grade I don’t have to pay any [further] costs, but now I have to pay 20,000 kyat again. I cannot pay this money because I have no money to pay. This year is not the same as last year, because we have economic problems.”

As a result of continued economic strains, many villagers from Kawdut, a mainly agrarian community, have migrated to Thailand.

The excessive and oftentimes arbitrary school fees in Mon State have been widely reported by the Independent Mon News Agency. In a recent article they discovered that although the government education ministry claimed to provide free textbooks in Mon State, many still had to pay 3,000 kyat a piece.

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12 Elders Face Charges for Repairing Bridge

Rambree (Narinjara): 12 village elders in Rambree Township in Arakan State are facing criminal charges brought by the township authority for rebuilding a small bridge in the village without permission of the local authorities, reports a villager.

He said, "12 villagers are now facing trial in the court after township chairman Aung Kyaw Zaw filed charges in court against them for reconstruction of the bridge in their village."

The village elders from Paradan Village in Sikon Village Tract in Rambree rebuilt a small bridge with reinforced concrete after the bridge was damaged. The bridge had collapsed on 5 June, 2009, after a group of cattle crossed over it.

"The bridge was rebuilt by the village elders with donations from local people, but there was no permission from the township authority for the bridge construction. The people are innocent and they did not know they needed to inform the local township authority of the bridge construction. So the people just reconstructed the bridge," the villager said.

When Rambree Township chairman Aung Kyaw Zaw heard the news, he became angry with the village elders because they failed to inform him of their plans.

Afterward, the chairman summoned the village elders to his office in Rambree to admonish them and forced them to sign a paper stating they had abused the law. "After signing, the township chairman charged took action against the village elders and charged them in court," the villager said.

Now the elders have been facing trial in court every week and have been unable to attend to their own agricultural work this rainy season.

Many of the public paths and bridges in rural areas of Arakan State have been renovated and constructed by local people with their own funds because the government fails to maintain the infrastructure as needed. It is rare for such legal action to be taken against villagers doing such work in Arakan State.

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Deputy FM: Migrant workers are good people

By Hseng Khio Fah

(Shanland) -A representative of the Burmese military government, while meeting with Thai labor mister last Saturday said families of migrant workers applying for new passport documents under the national verification process will not be harassed, according to The Manager Online, 11 July.

On 11 July, visiting Burma’ Deputy Foreign Minister Maung Myint and Thailand Labor Minister Paitoon Kaewthong met in Phuket on regulations for the verification of Burmese nationals in Thailand and in Burma in order to allow them to reside and work as legal laborers in Thailand.

Thailand Labor Minister Paitoon Kaewthong and Burma’ Deputy Foreign Minister Maung Myint (Photo: manager online)

Mr Paitoon said, about 20,000 applications have been sent to the Burmese government. But only some 7,000 were issued passports. Using non-Burmese language in filling up the forms and providing false information on the applicants’ home addresses were cited as problems for the rest. (JEG's: generals' kids and elite attached to junta can obtain passports with false data, perhaps the rejections were used to generate passports for the corrupted in need of a passport to travel abroad and enjoy the benefits of the west without being sanctioned)

About 500,000 migrant workers are registered with the labor ministry. Since early this month, the provincial employment authorities have been calling on new migrant workers for registration. They will be asked to fill up the new nationality identification forms starting 15 July.

The passport issuing offices will be opening along the Thai-Burma border at Myawaddy, Tachilek and Kawthawng (Victoria Point). About 200 workers will be accepted per day. The visa fee on the Thai side will be 2,000 Baht per person. They will be allowed to work for another 2 years with another 2 years of extension.

There are at least 2 million legal and illegal migrant workers in Thailand. But there is no law to protect those migrant workers.

“After July, crackdown operation on illegal migrants will be conducted,” the report quoted the minister as saying.

Maung Myint during the meeting, said many migrants are afraid to apply for the national verification process because of rumors that we [local authorities] will use their information to persecute their families.

“The government will never do so because it believes that people working in Thailand are good people and their jobs are also legal,” the report quoted him as saying.

He continued that the Burmese government has been trying to solve the problem of illegal Burmese migrant workers in Thailand for about 5 years. However, it had failed to achieve it until now because of many difficulties; among those were language problems and inaccurate addresses.

At the same time, there was a two day meeting of provincial authorities, doctors and provincial employment authorities with over two hundred employers from Chiangmai province to discuss the national verification process, according to Nang Hern Kham, Shan Radio Program and Education Media in Chiangmai.

“Most bosses seems to have less interest in the process as they think it is a waste of their time queuing up for their turns and others are worried for the security of their workers,” she said.

Phanthila Kaewboonrueng from provincial employment department office said that Thailand will not interrupt internal affairs of neighboring countries, in reply to the question by an employer, “Who is going to take responsibility if workers’ families are persecuted by the Burmese authorities.”

In 2006, Thailand and Burma agreed to set up nationality identification centers for Burmese migrant workers. But the two countries failed to successfully implement the agreement, when news of junta authorities terrorizing their families coercing them to pay bribes, after using their personal information received through the work permit process, to find their relatives, were reported.

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Burmese Army orders civilians to pay cash gifts at wedding

By Takaloo, Rathidaung (Narinjara): The Burmese Army based in Rathidaung in Arakan State has recommended that people carry cash gifts to an army official’s wedding, according to local businessmen.

“The Acting Commander from LIB 536, told us to take cash gifts to the army official’s wedding, if we attended the ceremony. We had to give in to the demand in fear of retaliation and since it was an army official’s wedding,” he said.

The wedding ceremony was held on February 3, 2009, for Corporal Thaung Tun Oo and his warrant officer Tun Myint’s daughter Nwe Nwe Soe at Ray Thon Ray Hall for the Rathidaung-based Light Infantry Battalion 536.

“The amount of cash was mentioned along with the invitation for a particular businessman and VPDC Chairman, as ordered by the acting commander of Light Infantry Battalion (536) Major Thein Nine to be given during the marriage,” the businessman said.

The Burmese Army had demanded Kyat 30,000 from a shrimp trading center, Kyat 15, 000 from one general store, Kyat 10,000 from a rice-mill and Kyat 15,000 to Kyat 30, 000 from a motor-boat owner inRathidaung Township, as gifts at the army personnel’s wedding.

Despite being unwilling to spend such a lot of money due to a crisis in their businesses, all the invited businessmen had to pay the recommended amount to avoid future problems with the army, another businessman said.

“The army had recommended a compulsory gift amount to be offered to the couple at the ceremony, while they were inviting us. Our businesses are not doing well currently and we were not willing to give such a lot of money. However, we had to pay because we are afraid of their interference in our business,” said the businessman.

The VPDC Chairmen of the township were also ordered to give not less than Kyat 5,000 by the army, a Chairman said.

According to local villagers, most of the chairmen had collected the cash from the villagers, citing the orders of the army.

According to a local source, Burmese Army battalions stationed in Arakan State used to collect illegal toll tax from local businessmen and rich men, whenever the army held any army official’s wedding ceremony or religious festivals.

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Informers make life difficult for Rohingya community

Maungdaw, Arakan State (Kaladan): Informers from various departments of Maungdaw are making life very difficult for the local people, according to an elderly person from Maungdaw Town.

The informers are providing wrong information to their concerned departments, to earn various favours as well as money. Therefore it becomes very difficult for the poor local people to survive along with their families, he said.

Dil Mohammed, son of Kalu and Rashid, son of Bawdu from Shewza Village are informers working for the Nasaka’s outpost number 14. They have close connections with Captain Khin Maung Myint (now Captain Aung Htoo). They have been providing wrong information to the Nasaka, like possession of Bangladeshi mobiles, border crossing, trafficking and money laundering. Due to these wrong allegations, many people are facing arrest and have had to pay bribes to avoid being arrested, a school teacher from the village said.

Besides, these informers are also involved in drug trafficking, due to an understanding with the concerned officer in their village and township and also with the help of , Way Tha Maung the brother-in-law of U Shew, who is the Secretary of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) of Maungdaw. He was released from jail last year, he added.

The two informers are working with the help of USDA. They are also involved in smuggling activities from Shewza village, where they have paid money to the officer in charge of Nasaka outpost 14. If someone tries to take action about this, they use the power of the USDA and take the help of other influential people from the administration to dissolve the matter and counter attack them, he added.

A village officer, who tried to support the villagers regarding this matter, had to face many false cases filed against him, by the concerned authorities, a victim of these allegations said.

Due to the wrong information provided by the informers, some Rohingya people lost their houses and lands, as three houses were seized by the authorities last month.

The Rohingya people, who lost their houses, were Goolitta, Zakhair and Dil Mohamed. They hailed from Shawza village of Maungdaw, currently, facing a lot of trouble to survive during the monsoon season, he added.

On the other hand, the informers of the police are causing trouble for the shopkeepers in Maungdaw, accusing them of selling drugs in their shops and asking them for money to avoid arrest, a shopkeeper from Maungdaw said.

This is a master plan of the police and the informers jointly, to keep Yaba tablets in their shops through informers after which the police would raid the shops. Then the police would demand money for the release of the shopkeepers, said the shopkeeper.

“If there were no informers, maybe we could stay peacefully in our town and no one would get into trouble with the authorities,” a student from Maungdaw said.

READ MORE---> Informers make life difficult for Rohingya community...