Troubles in Moulmein

April 2, 2003

It is reported that there have been problems between university students and traffic police in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State, southern Burma.

The problems started when Ma Moe Moe Aye, a fresher law student was stopped and fined by traffic police for not wearing helmet while she was riding a moped.

The normal fine is 10,000 kyats but she was fined 20,000 kyats and dispute arose and the police beat the girl up. She lost consciousness and was sent to Moulmein Hospital. Then. about twenty students went on the rampage and destroyed signboards in front of police station and traffic rules instructions, said a local resident.

The students were forced to sign promises in the university’s administrative office by the order of the local authorities.

The same resident said that because of the excessive late rains, rice harvests were destroyed and farmers in Moulmein are facing many difficulties. The farmers are unable to sell rice quotas to the government and they have to buy rice from black market to fulfil their duties.

According to the statement of a Thailand-based Burmese workers’ union, there have been some distributions of anti-government leaflets in connection with farmers in Moulmein on the 27th of March.