Junta-Backed Militia Extorts Civilians Through Sentry Fees and Conscription Taxes in Central Myanmar

Burma News International (BNI) is a network of 15 independent media and news organizations based in and around Burma Members of the junta-backed Pyu Saw Htee militia, operating under the command of a female leader named Thida Yu Mon, are systematically extorting money from residents through a network of forced collection schemes in Mandalay Region’s Myingyan Township, according to local opposition and civil society sources. A representative from the Myingyan Public Movement Committee told Mizzima that every household in surrounding villages—including Ywar See, Thein Kone, and Thae Phyu Wa—is being forced to pay under various pretexts, including sentry duty fees, conscription taxes, and gate fees for transporting basic foodstuffs. “They demand 10,000 MMK (approx. $3.20 USD) every three days per household as a sentry fee, totaling over 100,000 MMK (approx. $32 USD) a month," the committee member said. "They also target residents returning from urban centers with bulk purchases of rice and oil, and shake down individuals traveling from the Yae Lal Kyun area, claiming the money is needed to feed the soldiers.” A resident detailed the exact extortion rates currently enforced by the militia: - Sentry Fees: 10,000 MMK (approx. $3.20 USD) collected every three days. - Conscription Tax: 40,000 MMK (approx. $13 USD) collected every three months. - Foodstuff Transit Fees: 5,000 MMK (approx. $1.60 USD) per rice sack and an additional 5,000 MMK per oil container for vehicles bringing supplies from town. - Military Rations: 5,000 to 10,000 MMK (approx. $1.60 to $3.20 USD) per household to fund rations for regular junta troops stationed in or passing through the villages. “We can no longer bear these constant financial demands under so many different pretexts. They come door-to-door brandishing weapons, leaving us with no choice but to hand over whatever money we have. For families who genuinely cannot afford it, the militia members shout, threaten them, and cause severe trouble until they are paid,” the resident told Mizzima under condition of anonymity. Local farmers are facing severe livelihood hardships as the ongoing extortion drains their limited income, residents noted. Furthermore, community members reported that the Pyu Saw Htee factions led by Thida Yu Mon are not just engaged in financial extortion; they are also responsible for burning down villages, arbitrary violence, and systematic harassment against the civilian population in Myingyan Township.