Troops Ask Families of Detainees to Pay to Free Their Loved Ones

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma

7th October 2007

Families of detainees were reportedly approached by soldiers from Light Infantry Division Battalion 66, with offers that they would release their family members for fees ranging from 50,000 Kyats to 100,000 kyats. At current exchange rates, this translates to about USD 37 to USD 74.

[Note: A statement released by the US government in June 2007 noted that the majority of Burmese citizens subsist on an average annual income of less than USD 200 per capita. Source: US Department of State]

While one family member said that the payout had to be made to the Defense Administration stationed at City Hall, other families told DVB that they did not make the payment since they did not believe the offer was made in good faith.

Majority of the families rebuffed the offer as they felt their family members were being unfairly detained.

For the original article in Burmese, please follow this link:
http://burmese.dvb.no/news.php?id=2312