Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Burma border security force (Nasaka) and three collaborators have compelled village administration officials to collect money from local villagers for a football tournament. The tournament was organized by Major Than Naing, commander of Nasaka area 7, according to an ex-schoolteacher from the area.
“The football tournament began on November 13 in Maungdaw South, Nasaka area 7, after the villagers had handed over the money,” he said.
“There are 11 villages in Nasaka area No.7 and Nasaka personnel also obliged three villages from the Nasaka area No. 8 to participate in the tournament. The villagers had to pay 200 kyat each, so families with 10 members were charged 2000 kyats,” the former teacher stated.
“Some money will be used for the tournament but most of it will line the pockets of the Nasaka and its collaborators,” said a village elder who denied to be named. “If the authorities were short of funds, why did they organize this football tournament? It is only a technique to extort money from villagers.”
The football tournament is being played at Aley Than Kyaw football ground. The grounds were decorated with areca palms, also collected from villagers.
According to one local trader, villagers were not that interested in the football matches. Also, due to the season, local farmers had no vegetables or paddy to sell and money was in short supply. Insisting upon such fees only added to local hardship.
One farmer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “One of the Nasaka’s collaborators came to me and asked for money. I told I hadn’t enough food to eat so how was I to get the money to pay him.”
