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.

Two Nasaka personnel killed in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Two Burma border security force (Nasaka) personnel were killed by local Rohingya villagers of Done Pite ( Aung Deik Pyin) while trying to attempt to rape a girl at about 7:00pm on November 1, said an elder from the village.

“Three Nasaka personnel attacked a Rohingya girl – going to fetch water from a pond - to attempt to rape where another Rohingya girl informed to the villagers who beat the Nasaka personnel until they become unconscious.”

“Nasaka personnel who had an automatic rifle fled from the angry villagers and hid in a place till 11:00 pm for fear of beating and he reported to their camp number 18, under Nasaka area number 8.”

A group of Nasaka personnel went for searching two missing Nasaka personnel who had entered the village in the eve, found their dead bodies on the bank of the pond. Nasaka brought the dead bodies to their camp, said an aide from the Nasaka.

“The three Nasaka personnel are; Sergeant Myo Nay Htun, Private Sein Win and San Aye who had automatic rifle only. The three Nasaka personnel drank too much before entering the village and can’t able to control themselves.”

“We had given the statement that the village administration office didn’t able to mention anyone as the whole villagers involved in the event where the villagers had no intension to kill the Nasaka personnel, only to give punishment for attempting to rape,” said a village administration office member.

“In Rohingya tradition, all Rohingya females from village are fetching water from the pond/lake/River in the evening as a daily work in the rural areas. The three drunken Nasaka personnel who were entered the village to see village administration officer, met the females who were going to fetch water and changed their mind to attack the female with bad intention.”

“The villagers are fleeing from their village for fear of arrest by the concerned authority and go into hiding somewhere in Maungdaw south and the whole village is going to in panic. No one was arrested till now but the interrogation is going on.”