Maungdaw, Arakan State: Since January 5, Burma’s border security force - Nasaka in Maungdaw Township has ordered salt manufacturers in Maungdaw Township to sell salt to Nasaka at prices lower than that of the open market, said a salt producer.
On January 5, all salt producers of the Nasaka area No.6 of Maungdaw Township were called to the Nasaka camp by Major Sein Win, the Commander.
The exercise was planned by Nasaka collaborator former village Chairman Ayas (32), son of Deen Mohamed, from Paun Zaar village along with the current Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairman Nazumul Hassan (33), son of Fozi Ahmed, said another villager.
The Commander asked the salt producers to sell all their production to Ayas, the Nasaka collaborator at the rate of Kyat 450 per Mound (one Mound = 37.73 kg) while a Mound is being sold at Kyat 1,700 in the open market. So, the villagers (salt producers) are reluctant to sell salt to the Nasaka agents.
The salt producers told Nasaka, “The price is very low, so, you have to increase the price. We do not want to sell salt to Ayas because he is a notorious man. He owes us a lot of money as we sold salt to him last year. You have to appoint another man in place of Ayas and you have to pay the open market price.”
The Commander responded by saying, “We will not increase the price, you must sell salt to us and we will not change Ayas. You cannot sell salt to other persons. If you do, you will be arrested and your goods will be seized,” he was quoted as saying by a salt producer.
The salt producers do not want to sell salt to the Nasaka agent at a lower price. Some salt traders from Buthidaung and Sittwe (Akyab), the capital of Arakan State come to Maungdaw Township to buy salt. The Nasaka agent Ayas in a nexus with the Nasaka Commander wants to sell salt to the salt traders at high prices after buying from local salt producers. The profit will be divided between the Nasaka Commander and the Nasaka agents Ayas and the VPDC chairman Nazamul, a local teacher said.
In north Arakan, most of the businesses are directly or indirectly controlled by the Burmese Army or Nasaka, including ferry boats and butcher’s licenses. Nasaka are always finding new methods to earn money by illegal ways from the villagers in north Arakan as their salary is inadequate, said a local trader.
A villager said, “If the authorities want legal business, they must pay current prices of salt. Asking villagers to sell salt at throwaway price is not business.”
If it is forcibly imposed among salt producers, it will mean a great loss to salt owners. Salt producers have asked the higher authorities through the Kaladan Press Network to put pressure on the Nasaka Commander and the Nasaka agents to stop what they are doing, said a local elder on condition of anonymity.
