Policemen and soldiers moonlighting as pirates

DVB ( 2 Feb 2004 )

Burmese soldiers and policemen at Kawthaung region, Tenesserim Division in southern Burma are resorting to piracy on the sea to feed their starving families.

On 20 January, three policemen from Aw Gyi Police station, a soldier and three civilians robbed a fishing boat on its way back from Thailand. After the robbery, the second-in-command of the station told the three policemen to escape to Thailand to evade arrest.

The victim of the robbery, U Soe Myint, the owner of a fishing company was robbed 1.1 million kyats (approx US$ 1250) and fuel for his boat.

The escaped robbers were eventually handed over to a local military intelligence force after they were rounded up and apprehended by a Burmese army veteran with the help of Thai criminal gangsters.

Burmese soldiers and policemen have been bullying and robbing local people throughout Burma due to poverty and corruption in the forces.