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NLD Statement 42/2000:

National League for Democracy
No: (97/B), West Shwegonedine Road
Bahan Township, Rangoon

Statement 42 (4/00) (translation)

1. This statement relates to the illegal oppressive activities by the authorities against the people and the cultivators in the townships in the Pegu Division.

2. The authorities prohibited the transfer of paddy and rice produced in the Pegu township to the Magwe division side. Despite this, from the 16 January 2000 the police and village authorities blocked the Pye-Aunglan main road at Teetoot village ( Nattalin jurisdiction) and demanded payment of Kyats1500 to 2500 from every paddy carrying vehicle and Kyats 300 to 400 for rice carrying vehicle.

3. Water from the Myauk-ne-win canal is drawn to fill the ponds in the Khit-ta-ya golf course near Tee-toot village in Pye township where the higher echelons of government go to play golf. The villagers and farmers from Kyaw-tha, Htauk-pon-kwin and Ma-oo-taw village tracts were forced to clear the rubbish, grass and vegetation covering the water ways. The township head of police himself supervised the work for which the people received no payment. Though they were compelled to ensure that water reaches the golf course, no attention was paid to the supply of water needed for their sesame cultivation.

4. In Tharrawaddy township in addition to having to repaint bill boards and sign boards installed on the right and left sides of the Rangoon-Prome car road a collection was taken to obtain fifty thousand kyats for bricks, cement, and stone required for maintenance of the road. According to the economic situation of the individual the collection ranged from kyats 75 to 600. Most of the people today are suffering severe economic hardship, which is strained because of the demands on their produce such as paddy, sesame, lentils etc. by the authorities.

5. In Minhla township, the cultivators grow a matpe (lentil) after the rainy season crop of paddy is harvested. The authorities took 2 baskets per acre of this crop paying kyats 1000 per basket when the open market price was 2000/-. They cultivator lost Kyats 1000/ per basket.

6. In the village tract of Kyauk-ta-lone in Daik-u township, one U Maung Than who has authority and some members of the police force arrested U Bo and U San Myint for not fulfilling their paddy quota and at the police station they were placed into wooden stocks and pilloried. The amazing thing was that they were made to pay Kyats 300/- to be pilloried and again another 300/- to be released after they gave a guarantee to fulfil their quota.

7. They then had to purchase rice from the open market at the rate of Kyats 6800/- but at the purchasing center, half the quantity was rejected because of discoloration. They were then advised to contact two persons by the names of Jit Tu and A Nge Lay who demanded payment of Kyats 18000/- for the balance paddy. These two had to find the money somehow and make the payment.

8. The 27000 cultivators of matpe in Daiku were required to sell 2 baskets of their crop each to the authorities at the rate of Kyats 2000/ a basket while the open market price was Kyats 3500/-. They were also forced to pay an additional Kyats 200/- at the purchasing center. Another payment of Kyats.200/- was demanded alleging that this was for the cost of digging a creek for water supply.

9. These illegal and unjust demands on the masses and oppressive measures must be stopped. Higher authorities should insist that their subordinates cease from their high handed persecutions immediately. We denounce the way the authorities are treating their own citizens in this inequitable manner.

Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy

Rangoon
3 April 2000