Wednesday, 08 December 2010 21:46
Maungdaw, Arakan State: Police in Maungdaw have begun charging excessive taxes on betel leaf traders, according to local traders.
Betel leaf traders bring their goods to the market in Maungdaw near the clock tower junction each morning, and are required to pay a sales tax for their goods.
The 10% tax is collected at a municipal office located in the market, said an official from the Maungdaw market office.
“But officers from the Maungdaw district police department are collecting extra money in the amount of about 3,000 kyats per trader, which is putting pressure on betel leaf farmers,” said Abul Husson, a betel leaf whole seller. “Every week brings 30 baskets of betel leaves.”
“We only pay the price for the betel leaves, but the farmer has to pay municipal tax as well as money to the police. How can they sell their goods this way in the market? If they sell the leaves in their village, they would get only half the price,” the whole seller said.
One local elder from Maungdaw said that Assistant Sub-Inspector Aung Khin San and Seargeant Maung Shwe, alias Thaung Htun, were spotted charging extra tax to betel leaf farmers at the entrance to Maungdaw market, though they gave no reason for the extra tax.
Source:http://www.kaladanpress.org/v3/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2940:betel-leaf-farmers-hit-hard-by-police-harassment-&catid=129:december-2010&Itemid=2
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