20 January 2010: Colonel Thwe Lin from the military camp in Paletwa Township, Chin state, of the Shin Let Wa based LIB 234, has ordered the local people to search the forest for turmeric from the first week of January.

“Local people have to procure at least 125 kilograms of turmeric by the end of January 2010 on the orders of Colonel Thwe Lin,” said a villager of Paite village, Paletwa Township.

The market price of turmeric for a kilogram is Kyat 20,000 but the military will purchase it for Kyat 9000 from the people.

“We heard that the army will purchase at Kyat 9000 a kilogram but we don’t believe it. They will confiscate all of it on some excuse. We want to purchase it, if it is available at Kyat 9000 per kilogram,” said a chairman of the Block Peace and Development Council.

“The forest turmeric can kill fish when dipped in water. It has medicinal value,” he added.

The local people are busy searching for turmeric afraid to flout the order of the military though they have lots of work in their fields.

“This is the season to tend our cultivated lands for new crops, but we have to do the army’s bidding first,” said a local in Shin Let Wa village.
Forest turmeric from Paletwa townships are purchased by traders from China and Japan.