Rangoon authorities collect family data-DVB

http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=2038


Dec 24, 2008 (DVB)-Local authorities of Rangoon Thingangyun, Hlaing Thayar, South Okkalapa townships have been making lists of family members of each household and their possessions since November, local residents said.


"In Thingangyun where we live, the authorities asked how many members are there in our family, how many bicycles or motorcycles or cars," a resident of Thingangyun said.

"They also asked how many members living abroad and if they went there legally or not. And if we had a fridge they asked how we acquired it or who gave it to us etc. That also applies to sewing machines, television and cassette players. We find it hard to understand."

It is not known for certain as to why the authorities have been making the lists.

Some people gave the names of their family members who went abroad legally with passports but dared not give the names of those who went to work in Thailand illegally as migrant workers for fear of arrests and prosecutions.

Reporting by Nan Kham Kaew