Long Lone PDF extorts money from local vehicle owners

August 1, 2024

HURFOM: According to local sources, since the fourth week of July, 2024, the Long Lone People’s Defense Force has been extorting money from local vehicle owners from a village in Long Lone Township, Dawei District, Tenasserim Division.

On June 3rd, the Long Lone PDF held two meetings with villagers demanding 100,000 MMK to 500,000 MMK from local vehicle owners depending on the type of vehicles they own.

“The PDF needs money to buy a car. Firstly, they had a meeting with the vehicle owners familiar with them but the owner couldn’t afford the amount. So, they had a meeting again with all vehicle owners in the village and then, they extorted different amounts of money depending on the type of vehicles,” said a local source.

A tricycle owner has to pay 150,000 MMK; a tractor owner has to pay 200,000 MMK; a family car owner has to pay 300,000 MMK and a combined harvester owner has to pay 500,000 MMK.

Some villagers own both a tractor and combined harvester so they have to pay 700,000 MMK and some vehicle owners are unable to pay the money.

“Some owners don’t want to pay the money but they’re afraid of the PDF and they had borrowed money to make the payments,” said another local source.

Grocery store and motorbike owners in the village are worried that they would be the next extortion targets.

“If the military junta knows we pay the money to the PDF, they might do something to us. We, the people, have to fear both sides,” said one villager.

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