ALP members extort money from Paletwa villages

13 July 2014 – Villagers in Paletwa Township, Chin State said that members of the Arakan Liberation Party forcibly collected money from them last month.

Peter Lawilu, an editor of the Khumi Media Group, told Chinland Guardian: “They [ALP] extorted different amounts of money from different villages. But we are not yet sure about the number of villages and houses.”

He also said that the extortion had taken place in at least four village tracts of Yetchaung, Myaung, Pyinngu and Kunchaung-wa.

On 14 June, Yatchaung village tract locals were forced to pay 10,000 Kyats per household, according to the local media reports.

“Families in Pyinngu village tract were ordered to pay 4,000 Kyats while 10,000 Kyats was demanded from each household in Kunchaung-wa village tract,” added the Rangoon-based editor from Paletwa.

The ALP made a request to Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion No. 232 to allow them to carry out another round of extortion from six village tracts along Pwee River, according to a source close to the battalion.

“When Myaung residents asked about the reason for the extortion, the ALP members told them that their ceasefire agreement with the government didn’t include a provision that said money collection could not be conducted,” added Lawilu.

In April 2012, the ALP, led by Vice President Khaing Soe Naing, signed a preliminary peace agreement with Burma’s government

The ALP members were also accused of extorting money and interrogating local traders at the border gates between Bangladesh and Burma.

Last year, the ALP forcibly exacted money from Chin villagers in Paletwa Township. #