Nasaka's money-spinning business in northern Arakan

Kaladan News
October 5, 2007

Nasaka's money-spinning business in northern Arakan

Buthidaung, Arakan State: Nasaka Burma’s Border Security Force is into a money-spinning business in Rohingya villages in Buthidaung Township over the last three months.

Villagers found it strange that three-month ago, Nasaka distributed Kyat 500 to each family for one Taung (13 kg) of paddy through the Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairmen in "Badaka village tract" in Buthidaung Township. The village! rs were growing a subsidiary crop (especially paddy), said a village elder.

Nasaka gave kyat to each family for one to five Taungs according to the paddy they could grow. But, all the money went to the pockets of the VPDC Chairmen. The villagers did not get a penny, he added.

Now the Nasaka is demanding the paddy from the villagers, but the villagers refuse to give the paddy to because they did not get money which was paid for the paddy through VPDC Chairmen. The VPDC Chairmen said that the money was taken as toll by Nasaka. It is learnt that Nasaka has been collecting many kinds of toll from the villagers.

At present, in the open market, one Taung of paddy is being sold at kyat 1,500, while Nasaka gave them only kyat 500-per Taung. In Buthida! ung township, one kilogram of rice is being sold for kyat 500. Most of the poor people are suffering from hunger, said villagers. ##