Narinjara news


Ponnagyun, 27
th February 02:  The Myanmarese military intelligence agents in the south-western part of Myanmar have been conducting money-lending at the cost of the rice growers, according to a rice trader.

During the July-August monsoons last year when the farmers were badly in need of money, the military intelligence agents of MI battalion 10 of the Myanmarese junta advanced kyat 450 (as price of 96 kg of rice then) to each of the farmers in Ponnagyun township.  The earnest money was compulsory for each of the rice growing families of the township. 

During harvest season in recent months, the price of rice has gone up sharply in the entire Rakhine State.   The MI agents have now started collecting the rice from the farmers and milling at a rice mill run by Aye Tun Maung, a collaborator with the MIs at Yotoyoke village under Ponnagyun township.  Now the price of the same amount of rice in the open market is kyat  2250!   A five time increase of the investment in seven months!

At present only the  rice mill owned by Aye Tun Maung is allowed to mill rice in the entire township while the remaining mills have been stopped by the order of the Dakasa regional military administration.  Since 1988 under the tutelage of Myint Aung, the then township MI officer, the MI's have been carrying on such usury in the township, it was learnt. #