Pa-O political activists and local residents say that Pa-O National Army (PNA) is collecting extortion money from the people to buy drones and military uniforms in Naungkar village-tract in Kyauktalonegyi sub-township in Taunggyi Township in southern Shan State.
A Pa-O activist from Naungkar said: “The people will have to pay extortion money within two weeks. I had to pay Ks 100,000 by borrowing money. I have yet to repay all my debts. Now I don’t know how to pay extortion money.”
At the meeting held at around 10 villages in Naungkar village-tract on 1 and 2 March, the PNA decided to collect Ks-50,000 per household, the activist said.
The PNA threatened that they recruited new soldiers and torched the households which failed to pay money.
At present, most of locals have to borrow money to pay extortion money. Some locals who can’t afford to pay extortion money have fled, said the locals close to them.
A local man from Naungkar said: “It is not convenient for us to pay extortion money as we suffer crop losses during the war. Even we ourselves have no money to flee to other places. We will have to pay it inevitably.”
In the last week of January, the PNA collected a ration fee of Ks-70,000 per househouse in Naungkar village-tract. This is the second time, local residents said.
In addition, the PNA collected a military expenditure of Ks-50,000 per household in the villages of Hopong Township twice and carried out forced recruitment of new soldiers there, local residents said.
Sent by NMG.