Local residents reluctant to pay for corrupt authorities’ entertainment permits.

March 27, 2009

HURFOM, Southern Ye Township, March 27, 2009

Local residents in Southern Ye Township, Mon State have decided to spend less money on public entertainment events such as music or traditional dancing performances due to the heavy taxes levied by the Township authorities.

An events organizer from Southern Ye township, who arranged traditional Mon dancing performances last November, said that any time he organizes a performance in his village, he has to pay bribes of between 2.5 to 3 million Kyat in permission fees and he could barely make a profit as he had to spend even more on the security issues.

“I have organized the Mon traditional dancing twice in southern Ye township. Each time between 2.5 to 3 million was demanded from me for permission to hold the event. I don’t want to go into detail, but I want all the villagers to understand that I am not making money based on these entertainments and my intention is only to provide entertainment or enjoyment for everyone. The fees that I asked from my village are also not costly compared to other expenses. Based on these two experiences, I have had to spend a lot of money to be able to run the events smoothly, such as spending an extra 80,000 Kyat for one night’s security fees to the local army base. Now, I have decided not to continue organizing this kind of expensive entertainment again.”

A 25 year old Mon man and resident of Yin-Dein village, Khaw-Zar Sub-township also echoed the man’s words about spending money on entertainment.

“I don’t think it is right to spend money by paying bribes like that. Of course, people have a good time at the performances. As for me, I personally like music and traditional dancing. But it seems to me that the money that was spent went to the wrong people because it only benefits the local Army Commanders and Township PDC authorities who gave the permission. Instead of putting the money in the authorities’ pockets, we can use it in effective ways for our community.”

A Khaw-Zar Sub-township resident, Nai Nyan, who has been closely observing corruption amongst different levels of officers in the Sub-township’s PDC office, said that most of the money which has been paid for permission fees to hold performances is directly controlled by the Sub-township Chairperson, U Kyaw Moe and some might go to the local security armed troops like Infantry Battalion No. 31.

“I have realized that it was the Chairperson, U Kyaw Moe himself who granted permission for all of the events and all the money that he asked for public entertainment will be designated in the Sub-township’s municipal budget as the reserve fund. But I am quite sure that there is no money left in the municipality’s reserve fund. In this area, at least five to seven Mon music or traditional dancing performances were held by villages and the minimum amount of cash levied each time by the authority was between 2.5 to 3 million Kyat. Right now, the sums of money raised by the levy on public entertainment has almost disappeared. It is absolutely clear that all levels in this TPDC office and the local Burmese battalions are corrupt. People have been corrupted by power.”

A local source close to the Khaw-Zar PDC told HURFOM that the Chairperson, U Kyaw Moe and the Commander of IB No. 31, Lieutenant Colonel Ye Win Oo have been opposing each other over management of the illegal funding collected from the entertainment events.

“When my village held a Mon traditional performance in January, a group of approximately 10 to 12 troops acted as security. We had to pay 100,000 Kyat on top of the permission fees. I think the township PDC troops are not willing to share these illegal taxes that they demanded from the performance’s organizers. This is the main reason why the IB No. 31 commander and PDC Chairperson are opposing each other,” the source explained

A 30 year old female resident from Southern Ye Township said, “If it was me, I would use this money for the public clinic in my village. Right now the clinic needs essential materials and drugs for treatment. This amount of money would be enough to upgrade our village clinic. Paying large amounts of money to the local authority is same as watering a poisonous plant (A Mon saying or proverb).”

According to the local residents of the villages under the administration of Khaw-Zar Sub-town – Yin-Ye, Yin-Dien, Toe-That-Ywa-Thit and Khaw-Zar – traditional performance have been held at least twice in each village during last dry season from November 2008 to February 2009.

“Actually, we would all like to celebrate the upcoming Water Festival with Mon Music concerts. But I don’t think our people will agree with paying millions of Kyat in permission fees to the corrupt authority any more,” said a 35 year old local resident.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News