Shwe Phee Myay, June 24, Lashio
Local residents who come to do registration in northern Shan State’s Lashio City—which has been recaptured/re-controlled by the military council troops—have to pay up to millions of kyats, local residents from the Lashio area told Shwe Phee Myay.
Among those who come to do registration, ethnic minorities are also included, and there are instances where they have to pay from 1 million Kyats up to tens of millions of kyats.
“If it is an ethnic minority, it’s 15 lakhs or 20 lakhs. For indigenous ethnic groups, it’s around 1 million kyats. For the Chinese, they have to pay tens of millions. Currently, they are doing it the most for the Chinese. Because the Chinese can afford to pay as much as they demand,” a local resident from the Lashio area stated.
The aforementioned local resident stated that the money required to be paid for making the national registration cards is being handled and carried out through a collaboration between immigration officials and brokers.
“In reality right now, you even have to get a token just to enter the office. They won’t let you enter the registration office directly. You can only enter through the brokers and clerks. You can only get in through them after paying the money. Those brokers are also brokers that they appointed themselves. They are former staff who left the registration office, or the relatives, siblings, and families of the clerks. There are no outside brokers; it’s just their own people acting together.”
Another local resident stated that due to weak management at the Immigration office, a large number of local residents coming from other townships to do registration are facing major difficulties.
“According to what they said, they claimed they would do it for free during the 100-day project. But nothing is free at all. Since we came from another town to do it, they don’t even open the office on time. People have to come and wait. They only open the office around 9:30 a.m., and it closes by 11:00 a.m. For people who travel from far away, it is very inconvenient. We have to pay for the processing, and we also incur food and travel expenses. While it might be fine for those who are well-off, those who don’t have the means are suffering greatly. We don’t have millions of Kyats. like others do.”
Local residents stated that a similar situation is occurring in Kyaukme Township, where locals coming to register are likewise being forced to pay hundreds of thousands of Kyats.
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Translated by #KLT
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