June 21th, 2022
Locals are facing difficulties as the military-backed People’s Militia Force (PMF) of the Pa-O National Organization (PNO) has increased the taxes collected from the villagers and has ordered locals to stand guard in some villages in Taunggyi of the southern Shan State.
The PNO is collecting increased taxes for its military expenses in Namseenaunglay village located about six miles from Taunggyi, according to the villagers.
“In the past, they collected Ks-30,000.Now it has increased by Ks-10,000. The funds will go to the youths who are attending the military training at the Pa-O National Army (PNA) which is the armed wing of the PNO. We have to pay Ks-10,000 for general expenses of the Basic Education High School in Naunglay,” a local who declined to be named from Namseenaunglay village says.
According to the town-elders meeting held on May 19th, the PNA under the PNO decided to collect Ks-30,000 per house.
The PNA has collected Ks-30,000 per house in the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone since late May. But the PNA has collected Ks-50,000 per house in Namseenaunglay village in Taunggyi Township, the villagers say.
In addition, a man from each house has to stand guard for the security of the village. The villagers are assigned duties from 8 am and 8 pm for the village and school security, the villagers say.
A local woman said: “One person from a house has to stand guard on an alternate basis. As the village has 60 households, we have to wait for nearly two months to get our turn. The houses which have no men and do not want to stand guard have to hire others. The rental fees are Ks-6,000 and Ks-8,000 respectively based on the morning and night shifts. Your turn has finished. I had to hire a man with Ks-8,000 as my house has no men. I don’t dare to ask my family to stand guard even if my home has men. Guards will die as the PNO does not arm them.”
The villagers have to stand guard at the entrances of the villages and schools. But the PNA does not take responsibility for the guards and give arms to them, locals say.
Namseenaunglay village is located in Taunggyi Township. It shares a border with Hopong in the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone. Most of the people living in the village are Pa-O people.
The people’s militia force is doing hegemony by collecting military expenses, locals say.
Sent by the NMG