The Pa-O National Organization (PNO) is collecting Ks 120,000 per household for the substitution of those selected for military service in Naungkar village in Taunggyi Township in southern Shan State, villagers said.
In the second week of May, the PNO started collecting Ks-120,000 each from six youths who have won draft lotteries in May. An individual will have to pay Ks-15 million for one year, the Pa-O National Army (PNA) said.
A man from the village said, “In the past, they frequently collected Ks-50,000, Ks-60,000 and Ks-100,000. Now they collect Ks-120,000. They will call up six youths in a month. The people will not afford to pay it as they continue to collect Ks-120,000 each from six youths for one year.”
The one collecting the money in the village is administrator Khun Tun Hlaing. He is the son-in-law of PNA top leader Peter Tun Naing, said sources close to him.
The people will have to pay the substitution fee in the end of May. They will have to borrow money to pay it as they have no money, a local man said.
“Locals will have to solve it by borrowing money from others. The PNO has threatened that the family which fails to pay money will be ostracized from the community and will have to serve in the military. The people will have to solve it by pawning and selling their belongings and borrowing money.”
The PNA is collecting a substitution fee of Ks-120,000 per household as it assumes that the people in Naungkar village are well-to-do ones. In practice, that assumption is wrong, the villagers said.
A local from Naungkar said: “The people in Naungkar seem to be well-to-do ones. There are many brick houses. Youths and parents are building their houses by working in Thailand. In fact, there are no businesses in the village.”
“There are no businesses in other villages in Naungkar village-tract. So, all the villagers go to Thailand to find work. The people have built their houses with the money remitted. The collection of money is not inconvenient anyway,” the local continued.
In the previous months, the PNA collected Ks-50,000, Ks-60,000 and Ks-100,000 for military expenses in Naungkar Township. In addition, the PNA called up six youths once, locals said.
In addition, the expats eligible for military service have to pay money for the substitution of military personnel every month, their family members said.
Sent by NMG.