Mudon residents extorted by Electric Power Corporation authorities, still without power

September 30, 2008

HURFOM, Mudon Township, September 30th, 2008

Residents of Mudon Tonwship report that they have been required to pay multiple rounds of exorbitant fees for electricity, but are still without power.

On August 20th, the Mon State Electric Power Corporation (EPC) demanded seven million kyat from villages in Mudon Township for the costs of setting up electricity. Six villages, including Let-Tet, Kyaik-Ywe, Wet-Tae, Nyaung-Gone, Kyone Phaik and Kaw-Kha-Pone, made the initial payment. Barely two weeks later, the electricity supply was cut.

“Our village paid more than six million kyat to the Electric Power Corporation in Moulmein, but they cut the power supply after two week without giving a reason. Later, a member of village Peace and Development Council explained to us that there was a big problem between Nyapyidaw [Burma’s capital] and Mon State authorities over who should control the bribes we paid,” said Nai Nyan, 34, a resident of Let-Tet village, Mudon Township said.

In the first week of September, the head of the Mon State EPC, as well as Major That Naing Win, Chairman of Mon State Peace and Development Council, officially gave permission for the villages to receive electricity. The permission was not free, however, and villagers were asked to pay another large sum. Maung Oo, 28, a resident of Nyaung-Gone village, explained that about one hundred families in his village want to purchase electricity. Each was asked to pay fifty thousand kyat, on top of fees paid in August.

Even though many made the second round of payments, villagers still do not have electricity. “I gave my village headman fifty thousand kyat on September 20th, but they cut power off after eight days. I don’t know why. We have been asked to pay twice already and have spent at least one hundred thousand kyat,” said Nai Aung Khin, 50, a villager from Let-Tet.

According to HURFOM reporter, five villages made the second round of payments. Let Tet village has paid seven million kyat, Kaw-Kha-Pone six million, Nyaung-Gone five million and Kyaik-Ywe four million.

“Major That Naing Win and the head of Mon State EPC are the main people who extorted money from us. I think they did not share the profits with higher officers in Naypyidaw. That is why we have been ordered to cut out each times,” said Nai Aung Khin.

In the last week of September, EPC authorities Naypyidaw demanded that eighty households in Kyaik-Ywe pay another fifty thousand kyat to resume electricity. “People said troops from the Naypyidaw EPC made a lot of promises, and asked villagers to pay another time with a lot of promises. But most people do not believe in what they say,” said a the HURFOM reporter.

In August, residents of neighboring Thanbyuzayat Township, said that they also lost electricity because the Mon State EPC minister supplied power to villages without waiting for permission from Naypyidaw. Over twenty villages in Thanbyuzayat have each spent at least one hundred million kyat for electricity. Individual households had to pay between seven hundred thousand and a million kyat.

Editor’s note: the names of some sources in this article have been changed to protect their safety

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News