NLD Statement 49 in English

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National League for Democracy
NO (97/B), West Shwegondine Road
Bahan, Rangoon

Statement No: 49 (3/99)

1.	Our information is that on the sixteenth and seventeenth of February 
1999, at Tar-gwa, Htan ?thone-bin village tracts of Myan-aung township, 
Irrawaddy Division, the Towsnship SPDC headed by one U Myo Set 
(Secretary) summoned all the farmers who failed to supply the required 
amount of paddy, threatened and ordered them to supply 14 baskets per 
acre even though the prescribed amount was 12 baskets.

2.	Daw Tin Yee, cultivator from Pay-gone village (Htan-thon-bin east) 
made the submission " I have fulfilled my quota every year, but because 
of weather conditions I have not been able to do so this year." U Myo 
Set who is only as old as Daw Tin Yee's son rebuked her in the presence 
of about 200 other cultivators and said " You talk  too much 
(long-tongued). I am asking whether or not you will sell the paddy. Have 
nothing else to say. I will slap your face." This is the report that has 
reached us. A public servant should never behave in such a disgraceful 
manner. Her daughter Ma Tin Yee was much aggrieved when she heard about 
this so she went to U Myo Set and told him that as a Buddhist he should 
have more fellow feeling and not speak so disrespectfully to someone who 
is his mother's age.

3.	U Myo Set then got the police who accompanied him to handcuff Ma Thin 
Thin and put her into the car which was standing in the sun. She was 
left baking in the sun. After about forty five minutes her husband who 
was standing near by brought her some drinking water but the police 
objected and knocked the cup of water out of his hand. Ma Thin Thin was 
left thirsty and baking in the sun.

4.	We condemn this mistreatment of one's fellow being and abuse of 
authority and weaponry.

5.	In a similar fashion, on 19 February 1999, in Nyaung-tae village, Tha 
?byay-gone village tract, Myan-aung township, a group led by the head of 
the township police unit and consisting of the following:- U Than Lwin 
(Shwe-kyin village police station in-charge), U Aung Soe (Tha-byay ?gone 
police  outpost in charge), and U Hla Tin (chairman of Tha-byay-gone 
SPDC) raided the homes of the following cultivators and confiscated 
paddy stored for household use claiming that they had failed to supply 
their full quota of paddy:-
1.	U Ko San
2.	Ko Kyauk
3.	Ko Maw Thein
4.	U Kan Hla
5.	U Tin Pay
6.	U Sein Thaung
7. 	U Than Tin
8.	U Htun Khin
9.	U Kyi Thaung
10.	U Htoon Yin
11.	U Saw Win
12.	U Thaung Shwe

6.	It has also been reported that the above group demanded payment of 
kyats 640/- per basket for the short fall and threatened to arrest and 
confiscate the lands of those who defaulted. Some have had to sell their 
cattle, lands and belongings and are endeavouring to pay the money 
demanded. Many farmers in the villages of Seit-phu-gone and In-gwae 
(Tha-byay-gone) village tracts were arrested as in Nyaung-Tae cvillage.

7.	We detest and denounce this corrupt extortion of money by dishonest 
means, unjust behaviour, and the selfishness towards cultivators and 
farmers who are our benefactors. We emphatically urge that such 
practices be immediately halted.


Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy

Rangoon
17 March 1999








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