Sittwe: Burmese military forces such as the army, navy, Nasaka, police, and forestry officials that have been deployed for "safeguarding national security" along waterways and land routes across western Burma's Arakan State have been stepping up collection of tolls on the public as the election scheduled for 7 November draws near, report local residents."Before they used to collect tolls from the boats and barges carrying goods, and from passengers carrying goods. But after the announcement of the election date, the forces have been stepping up collection of the tolls from even vessels and passengers without goods or cargo in a manner that they will have nothing after the election," a boat owner from Sittwe told Narinjara.
He said that naval and police forces deployed at the mouth of Sat Ro Kya Creed in Sittwe usually levied light tolls from the privately-owned cargo vessels at their separate security gates, but since the announcement of the election date, they have increased the tolls to 10,000 kyat and above, depending on the size of the vessel.
Even empty vessels that cross their security gates have to pay a toll of 500 to 2,000 kyat based on their size as well, he added.
A trader who imports vegetables to Sittwe said, "The naval ship anchored in the Kaladan River in front of the Myoma Market in Sittwe used to collect 1,000 or 1,200 kyat for a 30-kilo bag of green chili before, but that has now increased to 2,000 kyat per bag."
According to the sources, there are three naval ships deployed for security along the Kaladan River near Sittwe, and they have also increased the tolls on cargo and passenger vessels.
A villager from Pori Pyin Village in Ponna Kyunt Township 12 miles south of Sittwe said, "The villagers, most of whom live on selling bamboo, are facing a great burden in the livelihood as the newly opened toll gate run by police and forestry officials is collecting 1,000 kyat for 100 bamboo."
Naval outposts and forestry officials deployed along the Mayu and Laymro Rivers are also collecting toll taxes from the public according to their whim, without setting a fixed rate, according to traders from those areas.
The cross-border traders also told Narinjara that the Burmese navy has opened two new toll gates this September - one at Man Aung Island in southern Arakan and another at Soe Mae Kyi on Pharongar Islands 12 miles southeast of Sittwe. They are collecting tolls not only from smuggling boats, but also from the licensed trading boats traveling to Bangladesh.
In addition to paying the increasing and unofficial tolls, traders also have had to pay additional jetty, market, and municipality fees to sell their goods in the markets in Arakan State.
"Though the local residents are unable to earn their livelihoods due to the increasing toll taxes, the higher military authorities are still negligent in controlling their forces. It is like all forces are officially licensed for public taxation in Arakan State," said one trader.
Source:http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=2742
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