“It was at 7 PM on February 17. The robbery gang came to our The-khon Village, southern Ye Township and extorted the villagers. We had to give 4 kyatha of gold and 200,000 Kyat [money] to the gang”, said a villager.

The-khon Village, southern Ye Township (Photo: MNA)

The villager continued that the community is very worried about its security, especially the nature in which the village administrator had to request gold and money from villagers for the extortion and then hand them over to the robbery gang.

The Ah-kyaing-led gang has also demanded 10,000,000 Kyat from Paukpinkwin village, Yebyu Township. The money was demanded for the gang’s permission to the celebration of a local Mon Buddhism monastic school’s 10th anniversary, set to be held between March 13 to 17, according to Paukpinkwin villagers.

“The gang demanded the money from the head of the monastery. It was a week ago. They frightened that if they did not get the money, they would cause trouble at the event,” said a villager from Paunpinkwin Village.

The Ah-kyaing robbery gang, which has about 10 men, travel to Paukpinkwin Village often, according to Paukpinkwin villagers.

On May 6, 2016, a splinter group of around 18 members led by Nai Chan Mon handed over their arms to the Light Infantry Battalion No. 280 in Tarnintharyi Region, while another group led by Nai Ah-lwin along with 20 men, also gave up their arms to Military Operation Command No. 19 in Ye Town.

Although the two gangs, which were active in southern Ye Township, and Yebyu Township, already handed over their arms to the Tatmadaw [Burma army], the locals in those areas are now still very concerned for their security since the recent activity by the Ah-kyaing gang.