Local Authority Collects UNDP Money from Villagers

Buthidaung: Local authorities in Arakan State have been collecting money from members of the Muslim community that was provided by the UNDP as part of its self-reliance program for people who have returned from Bangladesh in the last decade.
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One villager, who had their money taken by authorities, said village authorities have been collecting 1,000 kyat each from families who received funds as part of the UNDP self-reliance program to raise chickens.

"Each family in our area has received funds between 3,000 and 5,000 kyat from the UNDP for small chicken husbandry projects under the self-reliance program of the UNDP. The village authorities have been collecting 1,000 kyat from the relief money provided by UNDP," he said.

The village authorities from Pri Daung (Taung Chaung), Sin The Byinn, Dodan, and Pha Ron Chaung in southern Buthidaung Township have been collecting money from the villagers.

A teacher in the area who is close to village authorities and wished to remain anonymous said the village authorities collect the money from villagers in accordance with orders from Nasaka Camp No. 28 stationed at Nyung Chaung Village, 20 miles south of Buthidaung.

The villager also said, "Village administrator U Shwe Maung in Pri Daung Village Tract told us when collecting the money that he collects the money from villagers after he received an instruction letter from Nasaka authorities."

All families in the area have to pay 1,000 kyat to village authorities from money they received from the UNDP out of fear of retaliation if they refuse.

According to a local villager source, the local village authorities have built small lockups in their respective villages to detain villagers who refuse to follow the authorities' orders.

"Everybody is afraid of going to the lockup of the village authority. If anyone is detained in the lockup, they will have to pay a lot of money to the authority for their release. So all villagers usually pay the money whenever the authority asks for it," the villager said.

The Nasaka authority collects money from villagers but does not disclose the reason behind why they are collecting money from UNDP recipients in the self-reliance program.

The UNDP has been providing some assistance to the Muslim community with a five-step program since a thousand Muslim families returned to the area after living as refugees in Bangladesh. The self-reliance program is the 5th step for refugees who returned from Bangladesh, the villager said.

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