ome Maungdaw locals claim government agent U Kyaw Zaw is exhorting money by collecting vehicle taxes from both the Rohingya and Rakhine community but no one wants to complain for fear of harassment from the police.
“U Kyaw Zaw, who is Rakhine, used to work as intelligence under Khin Nyunt. Now he collects vehicle tax near Maungdaw,” said one man who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The man claimed U Kyaw Zaw was playing the Rohingya and Rakhine communities against each other by charging higher taxes for Rohingya vehicle owners who are the majority in the area.
U Kyaw Zaw uses four gangsters to collect vehicles taxes on the road near Maungdaw where both communities live, said one Maungdaw school teacher.
“They make Rohingya pay 1000 kyat for one day but ask for half that from Rakhine. Before, the municipal government only collected between 100-200 kyat.”
He also claimed that Rohingya taxi drivers had to pay 6000 kyat per month but Rakhine owned taxis were not being charged transportation taxes.
U Kyaw Zaw is trying to destroy Rohingya’s businesses, said one student.
