Burmese Army Collects New Tolls from Local People

March 8, 2006 - Narinjara News

The Burmese army is now collecting tolls from local Arakanese people using a new method, said a teacher from Mrauk U Township. This new means of toll collection is different from previous methods and is done very cleverly by the army.

The teacher said that if one village produces bamboo, the army orders the village to send the stitched nipa, or palm, for construction of the army camps. Conversely, if one village produces timber from the nearby mountains, the army officers order the village to send bamboo for the army camps.

After such an order is given, the village authorities will travel to the army camp to explain to the officers that they are unable to send the requested product because their village does not produce it. They then request that they be allowed to send timber instead of bamboo, for example, because their village does not produce bamboo.

After the village leaders explain their situation, the army officers order that the village must pay in cash instead of bamboo, and the officers will then purchase the bamboo themselves from other bamboo traders.

Burmese officials from LIB 379, 377, and 540 based in Mrauk U have implemented this new system of demanding inappropriate products and then collecting cash from the villagers for their own interest.

Several villages including Bauk Kan Chaung and Makyar in Mrauk U Township are suffering under this toll collection.