Sittwe, 23rd December 02: "The Burmese junta, SPDC, have stuck notices on boards in the agriculture corporation offices and at rice purchase depots asking the relevant officials to collect rice worth US$ 270 million from across Rakhine State in the western part of Burma, according to our correspondent. Beginning September 15th the junta officials have ordered the rice growers to harvest rice. The farmers and rice growers have been issued orders not to harvest even an acre of rice without the prior permission of the relevant Village Peace and Development Council (Yayaka) ? the village level administrative body of the Burmese junta. The Yayaka members have been engaged to supervise the day-to-day harvesting process, keeping records of how much has been harvested..."