Maungdaw, Arakan: Natala villagers have been extorting money from Rohingya villagers in Maungdaw Township since last month over the allegation that Rohingyas’ cows destroyed their farms, a businessman named Sakep said from the locality.
At present, Rohingya villagers are letting their cows on grazing land from morning to till sun set. During this period some culprits of Natala villagers of Aung Mingala namely— Saw Hla Shwe; San Maung Gyi – ex-village Admin officer, Bangladeshi settler; Tun Hla Sein; Bo Maung Chay with the help of present village Admin officer U Kyaw Kyaw Oo caught some Rohingyas’ cows from grazing fields and brought to their “old farm” where is nothing except some grasses and kept the cows there over the accusation that the cows destroyed their farms, the businessman more added.
Regarding this matter, some Rohingya villagers appraised it to the concerned authorities such as— village Admin officer and BGP ( Burma Border Guard Police), but they did not take any action against the culprits. Therefore, Rohingya villagers have no other alternative to choose, they have to follow the verdict of the Natala villagers, said Maung Nu from the village.
At last, Rohingya villagers – Abdu Salam and Lala Mea of Maung Nama village under Maungdaw township – have no choose to take back their cows, without paying huge amount of money. The Natala villagers released the cows after taking Kyat 60,000 to 30,000 per head, Maung Nu more added.
Earlier, the Natala villagers took away many Rohingyas’ cows and extorted huge amount of money from Rohingya villagers by this way, said an ex-village admin office member.
Recently, on April 3, the Natala villagers of Aung Min Gala of Maungdaw north caught three cows from open grazing field and brought to their old farm over the accusation that the cows destroyed their farms and released the cows after taking Kyat 30,000 to 15,000. One Moulana Idris have to pay Kyat 30,000, but Mohamed Noor and Boshir Ahmed have to pay 15,000 per each to release their two cows. The said three villagers are from Maung Nama village of Maungdaw Township, a village elder Nazir Box said
Recently, Burma Border Guard Police (BGP) director and Township officer of Maungdaw Township had been transferred to other places and the new BGP director and the new Township Admin officer had been appointed. But, only the officers change, the situation of Rohingya community is same as before, and increasing harassments and discriminations against the Rohingya people, according to a politician who preferred not to be named.
KALADAN PRESS NETWORK 