Burmese authorities extort money
October 12, 2007 - Locals in Chin state in northwestern Burma have been victims of extortion by the State Peace and Development Council. Money is being forcibly taken for the renovation of an army outpost among other reasons. People meanwhile are severely hit by sharply rising prices of essential commodities.
Young Chin with empty kitchen in rural area of Chin state, Burma.
On October 7, a commander from the military outpost of the Light Infantry Battalion (266) stationed in Lungle, Thangtlang Township forced each household from 18 villages in Thangtlang to donate Kyat 1000 (Burma currency) for renovation of a military outpost, a local in Chin state said.
The villages that were forced to give the money for renovation are Dawn khua, Ralpel, Lung Ler, Pung khua, Phunka, Thanzang, Sehmuh, Sikah, Rubuk, Rua khua, Thau, Dungtlang, Hmunlipi, Vangzan, Farawn, Tlangpi, Lungding, and Tlanglo village in Thangtlang.
The money collected from locals is said to have been used for paying wages of 30 workers hired to reconstruct the military outpost.
Moreover, Pu Sian Lian from the forest department in Thangtlang on September 23 collected Kyat 800 per household from locals for hill side farm cultivation which Chins are traditionally into.
"The people have no other option except give into what the authorities ask since farming is the only occupation for locals in the region," a villager from Chin state said.
"They (local authorities) also fined Kyat 10,000 per person to those who were engaged in logging," he added. – Khonumthung.
