The Burmese Army in Kachin State, Northern Burma has been seizing herds of cattle for despatch to Cyclone Nargis-hit rice-growing Irrawaddy River Delta in Southern Burma where farmers lost their cattle, a local source close to cattle merchants said.
Burma Army' s Northern Command (Ma Pa Kha) commander Maj-Gen. Ohn Myint has assured he will send cattle from his command region in Kachin State to the Irrawaddy Delta, according to sources close the Northern Command and residents of Myitkyina Township.
Soon after the cyclone in Irrawaddy Delta seizure of cattle began mainly in Southern Kachin State by local Burmese Army battalions, said cattle merchants.
On May 28, the Mayan village based Artillery Battalion No. 372 led by Maj. Ye Yint Twe seized a herd of cattle near Mogaung River ostensibly as 'cyclone donation' from three cattle merchants in Namma city. The cattle were meant for sale on the China border in eastern Kachin State, sources close to merchants said.
The merchants export cattle from areas in Myitkyina-Mandalay railway to the China border by bribing local Burmese army bases and military authorities, local merchants said.
Villagers quoted Maj. Ye Yint Twe as saying, “Whatever you (villagers) say about me and inform of my cruel actions to foreign-based Burmese media, I have been praised by my senior officers and Commander Maj-Gen. Ohn Myint”.
Under Maj-Ye Yint Twe's command the Artillery Battalion No. 372 based in Mayan confiscated villagers' paddy fields and seasonal fruit plantations. The villagers' cattle were slaughtered without payment by the battalion, the villagers added.
Besides, other Burmese army battalions under the command of Mogaung based No. 3 Military Operation Command (MOC or Sa-Ka-Kha) were also involved in seizing cattle in the areas of No. 105 Infantry Battalion (IB) in Sarhmaw (Samaw), No. 15 Infantry Battalion in Monyein and No. 385 and No. 386 Light Infantry Battalions (LIB) in Namma, according to local cattle merchants.
Now, the military authorities are collecting the “Cyclone Nargis Fund” from all government workers, Kachin ceasefire groups, businessmen and civilians in Kachin State, local sources said.
A local NGO worker based in Myitkyina the capital of Kachin State told KNG today, “I am sure, the military authorities of Kachin State will send only one third or two thirds of the collected funds to the cyclone-hit areas because the entire governing system of the junta is corrupt and government personnel are equally corrupt.”
