The Burmese military junta authorities from Ye, Mon State have been forcibly commandeering villager's vehicles not only from southern villages of the township but also from northern villages.

Recently the regime ordered Plaing Kee and some other villages from northern Ye township to lend two motor cycles daily for their transportation or pay a fine of over 10,000 Kyat.

According to a villager from Plaing Kee, there are only 20 motor cycles in the village, meaning each motorbike owner must surrender their bike three times a month.  Beginning last week in neighbouring villages approximately 25 motor cycles were commandeered on a rotational basis for use in official and unofficial daily activities by the Northern-Ye based Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) number 586.

Also in over 10 villages in Southern Ye a minimum of two motor cycles from every village must be loaned daily to the military.  Three villagers have to stand guard every night at the village gates and market.  If a rebel group is allowed to enter, or enters without the knowledge of villagers, massive fines are imposed on the guards.

The regime said their reasons for heightened security in the region as being linked with an increase in rebel activity, including those groups armed with heavy explosives and bombs.  Most importantly the regime seeks to protect the village paddy fields and gardens; with durian, mango and pineapple now in season they want to ensure villager's crops remain safe from rebels, thus allowing the regime to pick the crops freely and profit from the farmer's produce unabashedly.