Fishermen in Mabyarwa and Mankyi villages, Ye Township, Mon State, report that they are required to visit the village administration office twice a month to renew their sea travel permits, following directives from the military council’s Mawrawaddy Naval Base.
“The military council’s Mawrawaddy Navy is detaining and beating workers from sand and pebble mining boats, as well as fishing boats, whose recommendation letters have expired. Since February, at least 15 fishermen have been arrested and beaten as their travel permits expired. I feel sorrowful to see the elderly people being treated this way,” said a local resident.
A local from Ye stated, “The navy arrests and interrogates them if the recommendation letter has expired by even one or two days. Some people are facing financial difficulties due to work issues, and the junta soldiers beat them, accusing them of failing to renew their permits. As punishment, the soldiers beat them five times.”
Since last February, the Mawrawaddy Naval Base has instructed fishing boat operators to apply for letters of recommendation from the relevant village administrators once a month in order to travel at sea.
However, the village administrators have only been issuing letters of recommendation for 15 days, forcing fishermen to renew them twice a month. They report paying between 20,000 and 40,000 kyats, depending on the size of their boat.
A boat owner said, “The navy has told the administrators that the recommendation letter is only required once a month. However, the village administrators only issue them for 15 days. For a small boat, we have to pay 20,000 kyats, and for a larger boat, it’s 30,000 to 40,000 kyats. After 15 days, we have to submit another application and pay money.”
He added that when fishermen went offshore fishing, they were also required to pay an additional 30,000 kyats per boat as a food subsidy to the military council’s Mawrawaddy Navy along the waterway.
The Mawrawaddy Navy, based in Yephyu Township, Tanintharyi Region, is arresting and taking action against those associated with the People’s Defense Force. The military has increased inspections and imposed stricter restrictions on those working in the fishing industry in both Ye and Yephyu Townships.
Most of the fishermen in Ye Township come from central Myanmar. In addition to offshore fishing, they are also involved in sand and pebble mining along the coast.
According to the Mon State Fisheries Federation, there are over 300 offshore fishing boats in Mon State, with approximately 200 in Ye Township and 118 in Thanphyuzayat Township.
Sent by IMNA