Around 200 residents of Khayar Atwin village in Hpa-An Township, Karen State, protested in front of the village administrator’s office on Aug. 19 over increased conscription fees and electricity charges.
According to local residents, evers since a new village administrator was appointed in July, residents have been required to pay 15,000 kyats per month for a conscription fee. Electricity charges have also increased, with residents reportedly being charged amounts reaching hundreds of thousands of kyats instead of being billed according to actual electricity consumption.
Around 200 men and women from the village gathered in front of the administrator’s office on the afternoon of Aug. 19. They protested for about 30 minutes, calling for transparency over the conscription fees and opposing the increased electricity charges.
“We went to the administrator’s office in Khayar to protest. After the new administrator was appointed, the conscription fees increased and the electricity charges also became excessive. They are collecting twice as much as the previous administrator did. The villagers demanded an explanation for why this is happening,” a resident said.
The resident added that the village administrator and office staff did not come outside during the protest.
Under the previous administrator, residents of Khayar Atwin village were required to pay the conscription fee only once every three or four months, and there was no fixed requirement to make monthly payments, according to residents.
A villager who participated in the protest said those who refuse to pay the newly imposed conscription fees and increased electricity charges have faced threats.
“It is possible not to pay, but if we refuse, they threaten villagers by saying they will bring soldiers. They also cannot provide any clear records or accounts. We do not want an administrator who governs this way,” the villager said.
Following the protest, officials from the Hpa-An Township Electricity Committee arrived and told residents that the electricity charges would be explained on Aug. 25. They also said administrative officials would address the other issues.
However, local residents said they believe the assurances were made mainly to prevent a confrontation between the protesters and the village administrator. They said they are continuing to monitor whether the authorities will actually provide explanations.
Since the military junta enacted the conscription law in February 2024, residents in Mon and Karen states have been required to pay conscription fees to local administrators. Disputes between residents and administrators have frequently occurred over a lack of transparency in how the money is used.
Residents have had to borrow money to pay the fees amid economic difficulties, while those unable to make payments have faced repeated threats.
