Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA)
Satellite and cordless phones seized
Because of smooth information flow to the
democratic oppositions by phone communication, the regime SPDC authorities have
seized Satellite and Cordless phones in various areas of southern
The regime is often attacked with accurate
information by the opposition media by broadcasting with the recorded voices of
the civilians, therefore, the authorities have made
more seizure of these phones in
After the Military Intelligence (MI of
the regime) investigated the owners of these phones, then they seized the
phones. Most phone owners said the MI accused of sending information to outside
media groups.
Although phone owners have on a monthly basis
paid the illegal tax to the local MI and sought their protection, however, MI
said that the seizure order came from higher authorities in
Although the phone owners who are under
the protection of the cease-fire group New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the
surrendered group Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) are not seized, but the
phone owners face interrogation by MI. If there is no guarantee by those armed
groups, their phones would be seized.
Most satellite and cordless phones are
used by business communities, which create phone communication between Burmese
migrant workers in
Local MI raises a lot of illegal money
from these phones and even though they would not like to seize, but they have
no choice because of the order came from
Phone callers have to pay 500-700 Kyat per
minutes to the owners. Then the owners have to pay about 100, 000 Kyat per
month as illegal tax to the local MI unit and need to inform about the
strangers to them.
Most business communities also faced
serious difficulties because of this phone seizure in their business of money
transfers.