The Burmese military junta is forcibly making people collect castor oil seeds in Hpa Rusoo Township, Karenni State for growing castor plants this year, said Karenni locals.
 
Even though growing of castor plants was not successful last year, the junta has forcibly told people to collect two tins of castor seeds by each family. Besides, the junta has ordered villagers to find 40 castor plants to grow, said a villager from Htee Kaludaw village, Hpa Rusoo Township.
 
"We are disappointed. It's because crop cultivation is not good enough this year. Although the price of crops is not good, farmers are forced to look for and grow castor plants. We have to buy castor seeds from others. Then we have to sell it to them at lower prices. We have to work voluntarily for them losing out on time."
 
Farms are forcibly taken without paying compensation. Even though villagers were grouped to grow castor plants, it was not successful. Now the junta has asked us to collect castor seeds to be grown, said a local from Hkaw Thamaw village, Hpa Rusoo Township.
 
Farms along the Hpa Rusoo road were forcibly taken over and government employees were forced to grow castor plants in these farms.
 
The idea behind taking over the farms along the road to grow castor plants is that the military junta can easily monitor cultivation.
 
The junta plans to produce bio-diesel oil for export. Therefore the regime has ordered growing castor plants nationwide since 2005.