The Burmese military regime from Ye, Mon State has been forcibly commandeering villager’s transportation not only from southern villages of the township but now also from northern villages.

Most recently the regime has ordered Plaing Kee and some other villages from northern Ye township to loan two motorbikes daily for their transportation or face a fine of over tent thousand Kyat.

According to a villager from Plaing Kee, there are only 20 motorbikes in the village, meaning each motorbike owner must surrender their bike three times per month.  Beginning last week in neighboring villages approximately 25 motorbikes were commandeered on a roster basis for use in official and unofficial daily activities by the Northern-Ye based Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) number 586.

Also in over 10 villages in Southern Ye a minimum of two motorbikes from every village must be loaned daily to the military.  Three villagers have to stand guard every night at the village gates and market.  If a rebel group is allowed to enter, or enters unbeknownst to the villagers, massive fines and threats are imposed on the guard. 

The regime stated their reasons for heightened security in the region as being linked with an increase in rebel activity, including those groups armed with heavy explosives and bombs.  Most importantly the regime seeks to protect the village paddy fields and gardens; with durian, mango and pineapple now in season they seek to ensure villager’s crops remain safe from rebels, thus allowing the regime to pick the crops freely and profit from the farmer’s wares without shame.