Mi Lyi Htaw - The local Burmese authorities at Three Pagodas Pass (TPP) on the Thai-Burma border held a meeting yesterday with rubber plantation owners at the Township General Administration Department, telling the plantation owners to defend themselves against abductors.
The Administrator of the Township General Administration Department, U Thein Tun, and the commander of Light Infantry Battalion No. 284 led the meeting with over 50 plantation owners.
“The battalion commander told the owners to defend themselves against the enemy, and not go to their plantations alone. He said everyone should have unity with other plantation owners. He didn’t mean he will provide security for us. The plantation owners have to prepare for security themselves,” said a TPP plantation owner.
On 7 August, nine people from an armed group kidnapped one plantation owner and three workers while they were working in TPP’s Quarter No. 4. The four were released after paying about 50,000 baht.
After the abductees were released by the armed group, the TPP authorities called them to inquire about the situation, but they did not dare to meet with the local authorities. Members of the armed group had threatened that they would kill the released people if they went to the police or revealed the identify those in the armed group, said a source close to them.
Yesterday morning, the authorities arrested two strangers shopping at the TPP market. The two strangers were released after their relatives came to identify them, said a TPP villager.
“The reason the authorities arrested the two strangers was to have them face the released persons and find out if they are from the armed group or not. However, none of the abductees came to meet with the authorities,” said a source close the TPP authorities.
In June, an anonymous group phoned the head of ward No. 2 at his home and demanded money. As a result, all ward heads do not dare to live in their homes.
Even though some town residents have reported seeing members of the armed group milling around TPP town, the authorities do not have any solid information to act on.
Two months ago, members of an unknown armed group twice shot their guns in the town, but the personnel of IB No. 284 failed to arrive in time to catch the gunmen.
Although the goal of yesterday’s meeting was to encourage plantation owners to defend themselves against enemies, many workers will not dare to work on rubber plantations at this time, added a TPP plantation owner.
According to a township officer, troops from New Mon State Party at Japanese Well Village near Three Pagodas Pass followed the abductors with the local plantation owners into their territory.
