Nasaka collects money from sacrificial cattle

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka), has been collecting money from sacrificial cattle since November 1, while villagers are  bringing cattle  to markets to sell and moving from place to place in Maungdaw Township, said an elder from the village who denied to be named. 

“A group of Nasaka from Nari Bill out post camp, under the Nasaka area No. 6 of Maungdaw Township goes to a bridge from which villagers have to cross it to go other places or villages or markets. From this point, the Nasaka collects Kyat 8,000 per cattle while villagers passing with cattle.”

“They also rob the villagers who cross the bridge without finding any fault. But, Nasaka wants money from Rohingya community with any forms.”

The Eid-ul-Azha (a great festival for Muslim people) is to be celebrated on November 7, so the villagers     (Rohingya) are busy to buy cattle or selling cattle. So they want to bring cattle from one place to another after crossing the said bridge. Taking this advantage, the said Nasaka personnel are collecting money from the cattle traders or owners or buyers illegally. They (traders, sellers, and buyers) had already paid money to the concerned authorities as a tax, or others, said a cow trader on condition of anonymity. 

According to villagers, the price of the cattle is skyrocketed this year compare to last year due to scarcity of sacrificial animals.

The Maungdaw administration office ordered to Rohingya community to set up a market for their sacrificial animals between Myothugyi village and three miles station which is far from Maungdaw town and so town dwellers are facing difficulty to buy animals for sacrificial festival from that place. Last year, the market was set up near Myoma Kayandan village which is only one mile far from Maungdaw, said an elder from Maungdaw.