Farmers protest against junta rice procurement policy

Farmers protest against junta rice procurement policy

Reporter Khamleng

Sources from Shan State reported to S.H.A.N that farmers in a southern township had demonstrated against Rangoon’s rice purchase policy during mid-January.

Farmers in Hsihseng Township, 34 miles south of Taunggyi, rose up to protest on 15 January and an unknown number were arrested, they said.

3 days later, Lt-Col Win Maung, Secretary, Southern Shan State Peace and Development Council, arrived in the township to meet the farmers.

He reportedly informed the farmers that every rice cultivator had to sell 8 baskets of rice per acre at K.350 per basket price. (In Irrawaddy Division and Pegu Division, it is 30 baskets and 20 baskets respectively, he said.)

"You don’t own the land. You are only using the land owned by the State with its permission. Those who fail to sell in accordance with their quota are liable to go to jail under Section 406 and Section 420."

He admitted that farmers were actually paid only K.300 per basket instead of K.350 because the official purchasing teams were not given a traveling allowance by the State.

The meeting, attended by 1,100 farmers, ended with counter proposals from the people going unheeded, said the sources.

The market price of unhulled rice is K. 800 - 900 at present, considered cheap compared to the past years. The farmers' main complaint is shortage of water. Moreover, they said they also had to feed the local ceasefire group, Shan State Nationalities People's Liberation Organization of Taklay, better known as the Red Pa-o.