Narinjara News
Auctioning
means more pain for the Arakanese People
Akyab, April 14 : The military junta in Arakan
is auctioning permits to operate markets, ports, bus stations and even to sell
alcohol. The price of all the permits has been rising and the public is
facing economic hardship.
These permits do not have any guidelines in acquiring fees from the ventures,
the permit winners are charging as much as they like.
According to a local source, Ko Aung Tha and Ko Khin Maung Wae from Myo Thu Gree Quarter in Akyab, who won the permits to use Pha
Du and Soe Mae Gee rivers
by giving a very high price to the junta. They
stop all the boats passing through the river to Akyab
and force them to sell Nga Nee Du
dried fish at 50 % the market price, collecting 500 kyats for a Ru Za Na fish and 130 kyats from
the fisherman for a small amount of fish. The fishermen had enough of the fee
collection and attack those who are working for the businessman Ko Aung Tha, and the latter have
been hospitalised due to injuries suffered during
such an attack.
Similarly, the use of sea near Akyab has been won in
an auction by U Sein Kyaw Maung for a price of 70
million kyats. The businessman is trying to recover his costs by demanding high
tolls from the fishing boats. When the boats can’t pay the full fee, he takes
the fish away. Hence, Lawyer U Saw Maung is suing U Kyaw Sein Maung with a charge of robbery.
According to a businessman from Kyae Bin Gree quarter, U Kuran Khan Aung
and U Nga Mee Daung won a permit to operate the central Municipal Market
when they bid 20 million Kyats. On top of the normal fees, the quay of
the market is left in ruin so that they can charge traders 50 kyats each by
using smaller boats to transport people and goods from the larger boats to the
market.
The local authority has turned a blind eye to the permit winners charging such
high prices. Hence an auctioning system has been a great impediment for
the economic life of the ordinary Arakanese.
Through the auctioning, the military junta can get the money from the people
via the contractors. The system is an attempt by the junta to make the Arakanese people poor, an Arakanese
politician told Narinjara.#
For further information, please contact Narinjara:
Phone: 880 18 255 018 (Mobile)
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