Military checkpoints in Myitkyina Township, Myanma Taung are collecting at least 200,000 to over 1,000,000 Kyats from cargo trucks, causing trade to nearly halt; Military Intelligence Colonel, Major Soe Myint Aung and Captain San Htet Zaw are leading the extortion

Yangon, June 29 Some officers from the military stationed at Myanma Taung near Maina village, Myitkyina Township, Kachin State, are illegally collecting money from cargo vehicles passing through the Kanpaitee-Maina route, and are also committing extortion and confiscating property targeting local Kachin traders and laborers, according to local traders and residents who spoke to Yangon Khit Thit Media. According to the traders, a Colonel from the military's Military Intelligence, Captain San Htet Zaw (alias San), and Major Soe Myint Aung from Unit 901 are jointly involved in this money collection, which has been ongoing for nearly 6 months. Currently, a cement truck using the Kanpaitee-Maina route is being charged 900,000 Kyats, a fuel tanker 1,000,000 Kyats, and other cargo vehicles are being forced to pay between 200,000 and 300,000 Kyats per vehicle. Furthermore, while the military collects less money from Burmese traders, they tend to demand more from Kachin ethnic traders than the stipulated amount, and there are also discriminatory practices based on ethnicity, according to local residents. "For cement trucks and oil trucks, they demand hundreds of thousands of Kyats. If they are Kachin traders, they demand more. If they don't pay, they are not allowed to proceed. Now, many traders are incurring losses and are unable to continue working," a local trader told Yangon Khit Thit Media. According to local residents, Captain San Htet Zaw and Major Soe Myint Aung collect the money from the lower ranks daily and send quotas to their superiors. Captain San Htet Zaw sits directly at the foot of Myanma Taung collecting money, while Major Soe Myint Aung forcibly confiscates local residents' solar panels, generators, and fuel near banana plantations. In addition, Captain San Htet Zaw often uses the police to arrest traders who are not in his favor once they reach the Balaminhtin Bridge. Major Soe Myint Aung also reportedly frames Kachin laborers on banana plantations for drug offenses, arrests them, and extorts money from them, according to local residents. "If someone doesn't cooperate, they are arrested by the police or framed for drug offenses. The laborers can no longer stay, and some banana plantations have even relocated," said a local resident. According to local residents, while there is no money collection on the routes controlled by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA/KIO), the money demands at the Naung Htike checkpoint and Myanma Taung checkpoint, controlled by the military and People's Militia, have increased unreasonably, causing local Kachin traders to lose capital and forcing some businesses to suspend operations. Local Kachin ethnic people are demanding an immediate halt to the extortion, forced confiscation of property, and ethnic discrimination they are subjected to. Local traders have stated that they will submit complaints to neutral organizations, religious organizations, and international Kachin organizations regarding the incidents. Photo: Checkpoints of the terrorist military. (An old photo is used.)