NUG encourages civilians in Myanmar to report extortion

Myanmar’s publicly mandated National Unity Government (NUG) issued a statement on Friday condemning the fraudulent use of resistance names and emblems to commit extortion and urging civilians to report anyone demanding protection money from them. The statement, issued by the NUG’s ministry of defence, alleged that criminals and agents seeking to “tarnish” the reputation of the resistance are impersonating members of the armed People’s Defence Force (PDF) battalions and local People’s Defence Teams (PDT) under the NUG’s command in order to intimidate civilians into paying them. The ministry of defence also alleged that unknown miscreants were using the names and logos of armed, NUG-commanded resistance groups to circulate unauthorised messages and propaganda on social media. The NUG—a cabinet formed and endorsed by ousted civilian leaders after Myanmar’s 2021 military coup—denied that these acts had been perpetrated by any NUG battalions, units, or teams, and promised that any personnel found to be involved in such actions would face severe penalties under military law. The ministry pointed to specific instances of groups in Mandalay Region demanding protection payments from filling station and shop owners under the false pretence of conducting military operations for the NUG, and threatening letters with similar demands sent to business owners in Magway Region. Members of Battalion 5101 of the People’s Defence Forces (PDF) at an arming ceremony in Yangon Region in January (Photo: NUG/MOD) Starting in May of 2023, businesses in Madaya Township, Mandalay Region received letters demanding protection money from senders impersonating the People’s Defence Forces. Captain Mike Khe, leader of the Myingyan Black Tiger group—also known as Myingyan District Battalion 9—reported that there were at least three such letters using the group’s name last year. “They used computer fonts to forge the group’s seal and make the fake documents look genuine,” he said, adding, “Our soldiers focus solely on combat and do not involve themselves in administrative, budgetary, or jurisdictional matters.” Similar attempts to use the PDF’s name for extortion had taken place in Monywa last year, Captain Mike Khe said. This year, businesses in Mandalay Region’s Myingyan, Nyaung-U, and Kyaukpadaung townships had received similar threatening letters. “I suspect that these letters are being sent by junta affiliates or individuals intent on sabotaging the revolution,” he added, noting, “They’re not targeting large or small businesses but are primarily focusing on medium-sized ones.” Parts of Mandalay and Magway regions have become crucial battlefronts in the war between regime and resistance forces in Myanmar. Resistance forces have seized control of the towns of Singu, Thabeikkyin, and Tagaung in Mandalay Region since the resumption of the Operation 1027 offensive against the military in June of this year. The strength of opposition to the military regime in central Myanmar has allowed resistance forces to expand their control over certain roads used as key trade routes in the three years since Myanmar’s military coup. The resistance groups’ setup of checkpoints on routes controlled by the anti-junta forces has also led to the extortionate collection of “tolls”, according to local media and resistance forces, who have advocated for action against the practice. “Timber businesses are usually forced to pay the highest amounts, followed by fuel oil businesses. Even though we show our NUG tax documents, they won’t accept them and demand money anyway,” a resident of Sagaing Region said, requesting anonymity for security reasons. “The worst area is along the bank of the Chindwin River. Even if we’ve paid taxes in the upper stretches of the river, we have to pay again farther downstream,” he added. Checkpoints are easy to set up, only requiring a bamboo pole laid horizontally on two supports across a road to block traffic, Captain Mike Khe said. There are far too many checkpoints on the roads, he added, calling for NUG officials to inspect the locations in person and penalise people collecting tolls against policy. “Drivers are afraid to go through the bamboo barrier checkpoints. I’m not suggesting action against all toll gates, but a consistent, systematic approach would be beneficial. Currently, there are too many of these bamboo barriers,” Captain Mike Khe said.In its Friday statement, the NUG Ministry of Defence said that business owners receiving letters from extortionists should direct complaints to the Ministry of Defence at office@modnugmm.org or to the complaints committee at cc@mod.nugmyanmar.org.

NUG encourages civilians in Myanmar to report extortion

Alleging that criminals are impersonating resistance forces to extort protection payments, the publicly mandated National Unity Government has urged civilians to file complaints when subjected to threats for money

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