Burma Army's oppression increasing in Mon area: Villagers

Mi Kyae Goe

February 26, 2008 (IMNA) - The Burmese Army with the full sanction of the military junta ruthlessly oppresses people in the country. In Southern Mon State villagers have alleged that the oppression of the Burmese (Myanmar ) Army battalions has increased compared to previous years.

Toe Thet Ywar Thit Village from Khaw-za Sub Township , Mon State said that "the villagers from my village have to apply for travel documents for each person in their homes". Even if they have five people, they have to apply for each member.

In previous years, villagers did not need to register each family member with the local Burmese military battalions. Last year they had to register for one travel document per house, said Toe Thet Ywar Thit villagers.

The cost of registration is 1,000 Kyat per book this year compared to last years cost of about 200 Kyat. Other villages are not subject to the new registration regulations in Khaw-za.

On February 22 Burmese Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No-31 torched about 20 plantations around Yin-ye and Yin-Done villages because they could not capture Mon rebels of Monland Restoration Party (MRP), formerly named Hongsawatoi Restoration Party (HRP), alleged Nai Chan Done, the party operations officer.

"Not only did they (Burmese Army) burn down the villagers' plantations, but they also beat up some villagers," Nai Chan Done said.

The Burmese soldiers set on fire the plantation using only a lighter, but the grass in the plantation was so dry that the fire spread fast from one plantation to another, he added. Most of the plantations produced lemons, nipa palm, areca palm, pepper, pomelo, and lime. MRP party is currently trying to find out who was involved in torching the plantations.

The LIB No-31 has this year begun forcing rubber plantation owners in his village of Toe Thet Ywar Thit to pay 166 Kyat per rubber plant, a villager said.

In addition, LIB No-31 forcibly relocated some Kyone-kanya villagers into an area close to a newly planned road where they have to buy valuable roadside plots from them. The road is still under construction.

"Currently, they (Burmese soldiers) have banned villagers from going to the plantations," said Nai Chan Done.