A Burmese Army battalion has been forcibly collecting money from residents to buy arms. The reason offered is that it is meant to protect the people.

The Tactical Commander Col Kyaw Myint of the Infantry Battalion No-31 based in Khaw-za Sub Township Mon State southern Burma told Yeinye villagers that the arms are for the People's Militias in the villages to defend people.

Col Kyaw Myint decided to collect about 10,000- 30,000 Kyat per house hold in Yeinye villages depending on their financial strength or the lack of it for buying five arms. Yeinye has about 364 houses.

Col Kyaw Myint had called a meeting of villagers for buying arms on September 12. He said the new arms would cost about 1 million Kyat while old ones were about 0.7 million Kyat.

According to a Yeinye villager he didn't explain from where the arms would be bought.

The villagers are frustrated because the Tactical Commander will ask for more money to buy arms again should the villagers want good arms.

The Burmese Army is known to abuse, torture and collect money, but this is the first time they plan to collect money to buy arms.

The villagers said currently the Tactical Commander has only tapped Yeinye village in Khwa-za Sub Township. The other villages have not been approached yet.