The residents of the Three Pagoda Pass are being regularly fleeced on one pretext or the other by the military regime. After collecting money for students, residents are now being directed to donate for Burmese permanent staff during their change of duty.

The funds being collected are possibly for giving presents to the Burmese staff, who are changing duty, a resident said. The staff members are immigration officers, policemen and soldiers from the Light Infantry Battalion No 534. They will change duty in March.

“The collection of funds is not significant in our town because it keeps happening,” according to Ma Khin Thein, a shopkeeper who has paid 300 Baht. The shop owners find it difficult to make 300 Baht a day, she added.

Recently, the residents paid to support students of the 10th standard for their trip to examination centres. “While we can pay for supporting education, we don't want to pay to help Burmese permanent staff, but we have to,” she added.

While collecting funds the authorities had said it was to support education but it also included the staff. They do not limit the collection of funds. It depends on the resident's financial condition, she added.

This is the first time in five years that money is being collected for staff members during change of duty. Earlier all departments in the Town bore expenses for the return trip. The collection drive started on February 22.

The transferred staff will change once their replacements arrive in Three Pagoda Pass.
Three Pagoda Pass ' residents always have to fund for porters, development projects, and education among other things.

Source: Independent Mon News Agency