SPDC earns extra income as villagers refuse sentry fees

June 25, 2009

HURFOM: Burmese army soldiers began forcing Thanbyuzayat Township villagers to provide sentry duty along the Ye-Melamine railway.

Some think this is merely a profit-making venture by the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), as they also offered up a 1,000 kyat fine for villagers unwilling or unable to stand guard.

On June 15th, Infantry Battalion (IB) No.61 ordered villagers from Thin Yue, An Khea and Ah nine to provide 24-hour sentry duties along the railway, with every village providing 10 people a day.

According to a villager from An Khea, most villagers are busy right now with their farms and their businesses, and most were willing to pay the 1,000 kyat fine to their village headman.

“It is very clear the IBs only want to make a profit from villagers during the busy farming season,” said the 50-year-old Ah Khea villager.

The three villages are in safe, government-designated ‘white area’, said one Ah nine villager, thus warranting no security.

Certain parts of Ye Township, however, remain as so-called ‘black areas’ because of insurgent activity. There, villagers report a dangerous situation in which they are forced to provide unarmed sentry duties.

In Thanbyuzayat, the announcement comes on the heels of an increased security fee for households: from 1,000 per month to 1,500 per month, paid to the Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC). When divided up, each household now pays an additional 350-500 kyat per month to cover the sentry duties.

“Collecting money by gun is the easiest way and it’s also easy for soldiers to get income, because they are permitted to do anything,” said a retired member of the New Mon State Party (NMSP).

The villagers’ security fees are purportedly also used to cover pipeline security, police, militia, and firefighter fees.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News