One of the sawmill owners, U Kaung Zan Hla, told Narinjara they lodged the complaint against the forestry department after they were allegedly accepting bribes to allow furniture makers to operate illegally.

“The forestry department has been allowing the furniture makers to run sawmills without legal permits. According to the enacted laws, they aren't permitted to open sawmills. But the forestry department officers are taking 30,000-40,000 Kyat each month so they can operate. Now there are so many unlicensed sawmills in Sittwe, and its hurting licensed owners.”

Initially, they complained to the Chief Minister of Arakan State but nothing was done about it. After suffering huge financial losses, the licensed sawmill owners had no choice but complain to the president.

“The forestry officers, township and district-level administrations summoned us for a meeting in the forestry office, on 16 May, after we lodged a complaint with the State Chief Minister. They told us that they would shut down the unlicensed sawmills, and had been ordered by the higher authorities to do so as well. But they haven’t done anything yet,” said U Kaung Zan Hla.

The Sittwe forestry officials have also increased the annual licensing fee for sawmills from 18,000 to 50,000 Kyat, this year. This is substantially less than the bribes they have been accused of accepting from  illegal mills.

The forestry department has even ordered the legal sawmills to get permission from the department before cutting wood that has been officially sanctioned to use, according to locals.

At the time of press, the Narinjara News haven't been able  reach the Sittwe Forestry Department for comment after several phone calls were made regarding the complaint letter.