The military council-appointed administrator Moe Kyaw of southern Ngapudaw Township in Ayeyarwady Region is forcibly collecting 2,000 kyats per household under the pretext of Thingyan festival celebrations. According to local residents, this collection is being carried out without higher-level approval, despite directives prohibiting Thingyan celebrations due to the recent Sagaing earthquake. The administrator is conducting these collections without informing residents about the festival celebration ban.
The southern part of Ngapudaw Township contains over 1,000 households, and every household is being pressured to contribute. Residents report that those who are reluctant to pay are facing threats and intimidation from the authorities. The administrator has not provided any explanation regarding how the collected funds will be used, nor has he informed the public about the actual restrictions on Thingyan celebrations. This forced collection is particularly concerning given the current circumstances following the earthquake disaster.
Local residents are frequently subjected to such illegal collections under the military council’s administrative system, creating additional financial burdens amid their existing economic hardships. The timing of these collections is particularly inappropriate given the nationwide impact of the Sagaing earthquake, as pointed out by local residents. The situation reflects the ongoing pattern of exploitation faced by civilians under military council-appointed administrators, who often implement such unauthorized collections without accountability or transparency.
