Mudon township residents forced to pay for community tractor, again.

November 5, 2009

HURFOM, Mudon: On October 25th, the Mudon Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC)’s chairman U Kyaw Maung, his secretary, 5 members of the General Administration Department (GAD) and the Agriculture committee held a meeting in Kamawet village to order local residents to donate money towards the purchase of a farm tractor to be used within the region.

U Kyaw Maung explained in the meeting, “In the coming [years] 2010 to 2011, we will have to buy a farm tractor to use in government projects (that will be implemented in the summer season). The tractor is expensive so we have to combine all three villages money to afford the cost. [We are] setting up a due date for the first week of November when the Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC)’s members will collect the money in the villages.”

The three villages that were included in the meeting were Kalotort, Kamawet, and Taung Pa villages. At the meeting the TPDC informed the three villages that each would have to pay a total of 200,000 kyat. TPDC and VPDC members have begun collecting the money, however, according to HURFOM field reporters, during the collection process TPDC members have been collecting more money than was originally decided by the TPDC at the meeting.

Residents in the area villages were skeptical of the proposed intention of purchasing a community tractor. According to Nai Myoe, a 55 year-old Kamawet villager, “I don’t believe the TPDC chairman when he talked about buying the farm tractor. But, we need to pay if they collect money form us because they are the ones with power. If I estimate the extortion payments I’ve had to pay in October, the cost is over 7,000 Kyat [not including the cost of the tractor].”

For farmers in the area, the cost of a tractor comes in addition to an array of taxes and extorted money already collected in the 3 area villages. Nai Myoe explained, “For farmers like us, it is not sustainable to live for long term in this village. We are only relying on our farm products [to earn a living]. This year, we only harvest 60% of our farm’s produce. The authorities don’t know the plight of their residents. They just know about collecting money. It’s the reason our life is difficult to continue in our future.”

Mi Shin, a 36 year-old Kamawet Ywa-thit villager also described similar problems as those of Nai Myoe. She also described in her village having to pay over 5,000 in additional arbitrary taxes and extortion money to authroties. She also explained that for those working as day laborers in the area, it has not been easy to make a living or survive.

Mi Shin also remained skeptical of the TPDC’s supposed efforts to fund the purchase of a tractor. “Our house paid 3,500 Kyat. They did not say how much you need to pay but said it could not be less then 3,000 Kyat. They did not intimidate us when they collected the money. They spoke nicely to us. But I think this tractor will not be for our residents use because they combined the three villages money to buy the tractor. No one is really curious if they will buy it or not.”

Much of the doubt over the plan by the TPDC to buy a community tractor comes from a similar previous proposal to buy a mini tractor. Min Shin explained, “A couple years ago they said they would buy a mini tractor and collected residents money. But we have not seen any mini tractor they [supposedly] bought. I think now again they make me play the same role.”

A Taung Pa youth studying at Moulmein University explained, “The authorities just say [the cost] is to help and we need to pay a lot of money to them. This is the way that they can find money for themselves. If the want to implement their projects in the areas, they already got money from the government. If they buy the tractor, I strongly believe that it’s not for the residents to use.”

The previous effort to buy a tractor mentioned by villagers interviewed by HURFOM field reporters, refers to a plan proposed for 2005 – 2006. At that time the government made the same claims, and collected money from resident to buy a mini tractor to help the resident on their farms. However no results were seen or changes made after money was collected from residents.
Such taxation does come at cost residents have explained. In those areas, residents are reported to be mainly surviving by working in farms. Because of water flooding caused by excessive seasonal rains, most of farmers have been facing difficulties surviving. In addition, the government has also forced villagers to plant summer paddy crops. If farms don’t want to plant summer paddy, they are forced to pay 100,000 kyat per acre.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News