Narinjara news

VILLAGERS FINED FOR NOT ATTENDING 'RICE COLLECTION' MEETING

Ponnagyun, 25^th February 02:  Township Peace and Development Council fined villagers for not attending a meeting called for what the Myanmarese junta term as 'collection' of 'purchased'  rice in Ponnagyun township, close to Sittwe township of Rakhine State, the south-western state of Myanmar, according to Secretary of Shwenatpin Yayaka village council.

In the third week of January this year, the Khayaka District Peace and Development Council called on a meeting at Phara-gree village and summoned the villagers of Shwenat-pin to attend according to what they said, the 'rice purchase drive' meeting.  In the meeting the district officials set the last date for collection of the junta's target rice purchase from the villagers for the season at 29^th January. 

As the villagers from Shwenat-pin did not attend the meeting, the Mawata Township  Peace and Development Council (Myanmarese junta's township administration) summoned the villagers to their office at Ponnagyun.  Fearing arrest or detention twelve of the rice growers from Shwenatpin village went there.  The township authority charged them that they showed open disregard to the District authority, defying the official orders by not attending the 'meeting', and fined kyat three thousand to each of the twelve persons.

The rest of the villagers, except the secretary known as Hmaw-sara in the village and another farmer who was away at that time for buying black pepper, have been charged with 'open disobedience to the state order'  a clause often used by the Myanmarese junta and its appointed officials to oppress the innocent farmers and villagers for failing to meet their often arbitrary demands of rice, forced labour and any other requirements usually for the members of the armed forces and the junta administration.

Fearing the legal action of the township administration, four families from the village of Shwenatpin moved to unknown places, it was learnt.  There are forty families of fishermen and farmers in Shwenatpin village, situated at the northern part of Ponnagyun township. #