UWSA Taxes Causing Hardship in Hopang Town

佤联军的税收在户板镇造成困难

作者：掸邦先驱新闻社         来源：掸邦先驱新闻社

Hopang township under UWSA controlled territory.

佤联军控制下的Hopang镇。

People in the United Wa State Army (UWSA) controlled town of Hopang in Shan State are struggling with increased taxes imposed by the UWSA, according to residents.

据当地居民说，佤联军控制的掸邦户板镇的居民正在与佤联军增加的税收作斗争。

Hopang Town has been under UWSA administration since late June 2024. Now, the town’s residents are complaining that increased tax collection under the UWSA are causing them financial difficulties. The taxes include taxes for garbage collection and for shops.

Hopang镇自2024年6月下旬以来一直处于佤联军的管理之下。现在，该镇的居民抱怨说，佤联军治下增加的税收给他们带来了经济困难。这些税包括垃圾收集税和商店税。

A Hopang Town resident said to SHAN: “The tax amounts are high. For example, the garbage [collection] tax is 100 Chinese RMB per month. Even small grocery shops are taxed, and the larger the shop, the higher the tax. Tax collectors come every month to collect the fees. Here, we don’t get any electricity from Myanmar; we only use electricity from China.”

一位户板镇的居民对掸邦先驱新闻社说：“税额很高。例如，垃圾（收集）税是每月100元人民币。即使是小杂货店也要征税，而且商店越大，税收越高。税吏每个月都来收取费用。在这里，我们没有从缅甸获得任何电力；我们只使用来自中国的电。”

The UWSA has also shut the Hpaung Seik Bridge across the Thanlwin River which links the MNDAA controlled towns of Kunlong and Chinshwehaw to Hopang Town, according to Hopang Town residents. This has exacerbated a shortage of goods in Hopang Town that has forced residents to import from Panghsang and Kyaingtong (Kengtung) towns in eastern Shan State, raising the price of goods in Hopang Town.

佤联军还关闭了横跨Thanlwin河的Hpaung Seik大桥。据Hopang镇的居民说，这座桥连接着MNDAA控制的Kunlong镇和Chinshwehaw镇与Hopang镇。这加剧了Hopang镇的商品短缺，迫使居民从掸邦东部的pangsang和Kyaingtong （kongtung）镇进口，提高了Hopang镇的商品价格。

The aforementioned Hopang Town resident said: “Fuel prices have increased a bit due to shortages. The UWSA has closed the Hpaung Seik Bridge, preventing the transport of goods. I don’t know about the situation in Kokang [MNDAA]-controlled areas, but in Hopang, there aren’t many goods coming from Lashio. Instead, we have to import from Panghsang and Kyaingtong. Since goods cannot be transported in large quantities and only arrive in small batches, prices are higher.”

前面提到的Hopang镇居民说：“由于短缺，燃料价格上涨了一点。佤联军关闭了黄石大桥，阻止了货物的运输。我不知道果敢（MNDAA）控制地区的情况，但在Hopang，来自腊戍的货物并不多。相反，我们必须从邦上和庆通进口。由于货物不能大量运输，只能小批量到达，所以价格更高。”

In late August 2024 the Chinese authorities closed the Mangka border crossing to Namtit Town, another UWSA controlled Town, about 10 km from Hopang. The closure has severely impacted residents in the towns of Hopang, Panlong, Mongmao, Pangwaun, and Namtit and caused shortages of food and goods in the region.

2024年8月下旬，中国当局关闭了Mangka通往南提特镇的过境点，南提特镇是佤联军控制的另一个镇，距离Hopang约10公里。关闭对Hopang、Panlong、Mongmao、pangwwan和Namtit等城镇的居民造成了严重影响，并造成该地区食品和物资短缺。

Currently, many people displaced from the MNDAA controlled Lashio Town by fighting are also sheltering in Hopang Town. Most have found work on construction sites, according to Hopang Town residents.

目前，许多因战斗而从孟民盟控制的腊戍镇流离失所的人也在Hopang镇避难。据Hopang镇的居民说，大多数人都在建筑工地找到了工作。

During ‘Operation 1027,’ the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which includes the MNDAA, seized the towns of Hopang and Panlong. These towns were handed over to the UWSA in early January 2024 and it incorporated them into the UWSA’s Hopang District. By June the UWSA had set up administrations in Hopang and Panlong Towns.

在“1027行动”期间，包括MNDAA在内的三兄弟联盟占领了Hopang和Panlong镇。这些城镇于2024年1月初移交给佤联军，并将其纳入佤联军的Hopang区。到6月，佤联军在Hopang镇和Panlong镇成立了行政机构。

作者：掸邦先驱新闻社         来源：掸邦先驱新闻社