PDF escalates extortion of money from Dawei businesspersons
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Htet Nadi / Pearl (NP News) - Sep 15
According to information obtained by The Statesman, the PDF has been threatening and demanding ransom from business owners in Dawei.
In Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region, the PDF group has been collecting extortion money as donations through its Facebook page, and has recently targeted business owners by phone.
“The situation in Dawei is a bit bad. Just scroll through Dawei Hittaing group. They’re openly asking for donations. Some people are even contacting us over the phone. We dare not answer unknown numbers. The organizations there will bother you if you don’t donate. If you accidentally anwser them and don’t donate, they will cause trouble for you. If you donate out of fear and the authorities find out, you could face legal consequences. Businesspeople are stuck in the middle,” one entrepreneur told The Statesman journal.
They reportedly threaten business owners who do not pay them, confiscating and burning their equipment.
“Some businessmen have had their machines and equipment burned, including machinery, backhoes and others. The businessmen are also living in fear. For seized machines and cars, we had to pay K 50 to 100 million to get them back. Generators are also confiscated and they asked for a ransom. There are many organizations here, including PDF and [KNU's] 6th Brigade,” he continued.
According to local residents, the KTLA, KNU, and PDF groups operating in the Dawei region and along the Myanmar-Thai border primarily earn a living through extortion. –