Tue 06 Jan 2009, Lyeah Mon, IMNA
Police in northern Ye Township are taxing migrant workers returning from Thailand and Malaysia, say local sources.
“Police are waiting at the entrance gate of our village. If they receive information about migrants returning home, they will wait for the migrant workers at the gate. One person has to pay 10,000 kyat,” said a migrant worker who recently returned from Thailand to Thabyay Ywa Thit village. “If they do not see the migrant worker in the evening, they will come to the worker’s home the next morning and demand money,” he added.
“When we come back along the road, we do not need to pay checkpoint taxes because we pay the whole cost to the broker [to organize the trip back from Thailand]. But when we arrive at our village, the police specially demand the money. If we do not pay them 10,000 kyat, our belongings on the bus would be seized,” agreed a villager who recently returned to nearby Hnitkayin village. “The police frighten people, and we have to pay. People who sneak home have to pay 20,000 kyat as a fine.” continue
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