Landowners forced to donate to Cyclone victims, worry about the funds’ destinations

September 13, 2008

Mudon and Thanbyuzayat townships :

HURFOM : Authorities in Mudon and Thanbyuzayat Townships are collecting another round of forced donations for Cyclone Nargis victims, report villagers, who express suspicion about the funds’ actual destinations.

On September 11^th, U Kyaw Kyaw Aung, chairman of the Mudon Peace and Development Council, instructed the township’s Forest and Land Records departments to collect 3,000 to 5,000 kyat from landowners in the area.

“This time they forced us to donate 3,000 kyat – some land owners had to pay 5,000 kyat, depending on the size of their land,” said a farmer in the area who wished to remain anonymous.

“We are happy to donate as much as we can, but we don’t like being forced by the authorities,” said Nai Yae, a 50 year-old villager from Mudon, who was ordered to donate 3,000 kyat.

On September 12^th, the land record department and troops collected from rubber plantation owners in Kamawet village. The collection marks the fourth time the authorities have issued such a donation order in Kamawet.

According to another source close to the township’s land record department, the authorities have collected “donations” from five hundred landowners in Mudon.

In Thanbyuzayat Township, headmen called for cash donations. “The township authorities already did this in June, and we donated cash and clothes,” said a local source. “In my view, the government shouldn’t force us to make donations for the victims,” added Ko Naing, another source from Thanbyuzayat. “We would like to donate by ourselves as much as we can, but the people don’t trust the authorities to be honest when dealing with money.”

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News