Human Rights Briefs

Human Rights Briefs

Forced purchase of rice

On 6 September, U Myint Than, an officer for agriculture in Muse, 110 miles north of Lashio, forced 19 farmers in the villages of Panglong, Kawngmuloi and Kawngmu Tong to sell 41 baskets of unhulled rice at the rate of K. 360 per basket. (Official purchasers normally pay K. 300) The market price is K. 1,400.

The source also provided a list of the complainants.

Signboards in Shan torn down

On 18 September, Captain Tin Maung Win, Township officer of Namkham, 129 miles north of Lashio, led a 15-men team to 7 villages with signboards each bearing the name of each village written in Shan and Burmese and tore them down, replacing them afterwards with prepared signboards in Burmese.

Each village were also demanded K. 35,000 for the team's expenses.

The villages were Marnkham, Zayhai, Koongsa, Marnkarng, Kawngwiang and Nawngkharng.