Rough rides for Mongla residents

Human Rights

Rough rides for Mongla residents

Life for the majority of Mongla's ordinary inhabitants is in some ways pointlessly unpleasant, say sources coming from the Sino-Burma border north of Tachilek, reports Tai Touch from Chiangrai:

"For some reason, they still refuse to issue us national ID cards," said a villager from Mongla, 80 km from northeast of Kengtung and opposite Daluo of Yunnan, "although Sao Sai Leun (Mongla's leader) has made peace with them for 16 years."

As a result, locals without IDs are not allowed to cross the border into China, and those coming to Kengtung have to pay 20 yuan ($2.5) each for obtain 10-day passes. "How can they expect us to make a living?" mourned the source, who was on a visit to her relative in Tachilek.

Other sources complained about having to pay both government and local authorities for electricity, particularly those living along the border between Mongla and Kengtung. "Both sides say we have to pay whether or not we are using it," said a villager whose home is near Taping, the bridge on the Namlwe that divides Sai Leun's controlled territory, officially labeled as Special Region #4, from the Burmese government's.

The government charges 500 kyat ($0.5) per household per month, while the local authorities levy 50 yuan ($6.25).

"The only good thing we can say is", said another one, "at least there is no war."

Sai Leun, leader of Special Region #4, had fought Rangoon from 1968 to 1989, when a truce pact was concluded.