Returning un-licensed cars, a rumor

Chan Mon,

Independent Mon News Agency

6 June, 2005

Rumors on returning of un-licensed cars were not true, said a senior member of New Mon State Party in Moulmein.

Rumors broke out that the government is giving back the cars inside Burma.

"It is a rumor. Not true. If they give back the cars, we must get first. We are in town," the NMSP senior member said. "They said to us they will give back our cars because we are cease-fire group. But it has been for two months, we still do not receive any car."

A high ranking officer from the Southeast Regional Command and police officers, while talking on phone, said that the government would give back the cars to NMSP, said the NMSP member.

"They said to us; 'Report to our higher ranking officer. They have good news for the cars'," the member added.

But, the officers from Southeast Regional Command had changed the color of the cars to military color and have been using it.

"About 70 cars were changed color, military officers are driving in town," NMSP member said.

Hundreds of cars have been kept in military camp in Southeast Command and Moulmein Myoma sports ground.

A cease-fired Karen armed group, Karen Peace Front (KPF), also received a promise from the former Military Southeast Command commander, Major General Thura Myit Aung that the government will give back their cars, said Major Lay Hwar from KPF in Three Pagoda Pass.

"When our leader met him, he promised they will give back the cars. But we still have not received one," Major Lay Hwar added.

NMSP members, close to retired military officers in Rangoon, said the Rangoon government plans to give these sized cars to military officers are higher ranking than Major as well as to government departments.

The government seized more than 1400 cars from Mon and Karen States in the first seizure. These cars were contributed to military generals. The seized cars from Karen State were used in the trip of Senior General Than Shwe on opening of Moulmein-Mutama bridge, locals said.

Local military authorities in Karen and Mon States have been sending the seized cars to Southeast Regional Command. Every day, about 10 to 20 seized cars from Myawadi had been sent to Southeast Regional Command, according to businessmen.

In the past, military intelligence allowed to use un-licensed cars by taking illegal taxes. After removing the intelligence chief and Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt from the office in September last year, military government asked the people to surrender the un-licensed cars. The military started to seize the cars in April this year.

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