Soldiers of the Burmese Army based in Engtaingkyi special military training court of Kalemyo, Sagaing division, Burma have been selling ammunition to unidentified people presumed to be smugglers.
“Soldiers and policemen came to a wine shop and sold bullets to a person covertly. The person who received the bullets could not be identified, “said a relative of the wine shop owner.
Rebel groups from northeast India have been permitted to stay legally by the Burmese military in Kalymyo and Tamu township of Sagaing division. The ammunition could be making their way to them.
The soldiers and the policemen jointly went to a wine shop and sold bullets packed in clothes, said a local.
Burmese military authorities give Kyat 40,000 to military personnel as monthly salary but cut almost half of a army personnel’s pay for their life insurance and some more for their uniform and health care fees. The authorities also make cuts for family funds and social affairs fees.
“They salary is just on paper in the records. They never receive their full salary. So, they are always short of money, “said a relative of an army man.
So some soldiers based in Tamu Township, Sagaing division sell army’s bullets to unidentified people in secrecy.
“I know for a fact that army men on the Indo-Burma border have been selling bullets to some arms and ammunition smugglers. And they also always demand domestic animals from local people,” said a trader from the Indo- Burma border. Khonumthung News