Many village tracts in northern Shan State’s Tangyan Township, 83-miles south of Lashio, have been ordered to pay millions to support the junta-backed militia units, local sources say.

On August 28, in accordance with an order from Mongkao based Infantry Battalion (IB) # 33, the Chairman of Mongkao village tract collected money from villagers for buying a hundred suits of uniforms for the local militia units, said a villager who requested anonymity.

“The amount for each suit is Kyat 12,000 ($11.43),” he said.

Money was handed over to the battalion by September 3, he
said.

On the following day, the IB#33 Battalion commander Lt-Col Zaw Naing ordered Nam Noke [Palaung village] to pay Kyat 400,000 ($380.95), said another villager.

“Our village was told to send the money within three days,” he said.

Similarly, the Second in Command of the IB#33, Major Kyaw Min ordered each village in Monglong village tract to pay Kyat 500,000 ($476.19) , else they would be punished, a source said.

According to locals, the purpose was to purchase equipment for the militias -- uniforms, hats, and badges, including stipend to support the militia men’s families.

Again, on 15 September, a Lahu militia unit led by Kyahsaw from Namhsizeng village in Mongkao village tract again ordered all village headmen from Mongkao and Namlao village tracts to collect Kyat 3,000,000($2857.14) and send it to the group.

“The amount was too much for the villagers and therefore they begged the militia leader to accept only half,” the source said, “that is Kyat 1,500,000($1428.57).”

Sources say the militias are to be used to fight Shan State Army (SSA) ‘North’, or the anti-Naypyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ as in Karen State.

Similarly, the Burmese army in Arakan State has also been collecting funds from locals for the recently formed people's militias in villages throughout Rathidaung Township, according to Narinjara News report on 17 September.