Strange as it may sound owners of domestic animals in Chin State, Burma were earlier afraid of foxes as it used to carry away their live stock but now military personnel have been emulating the wild fox, sources said.
Wild foxes roaming the forests used to kill their animals but now soldiers from the military camp Infantry Battalion (IB) no. 304 based in Matupi kill villagers' livestock with guns or traps. So, they are more scared of the army than foxes.
"We can frighten away foxes if it catches animals, but we cannot scare away soldiers. They frighten us with their guns," said an owner of a domestic animal in Matupi.
The Army used to trap and catch the Mithun with ropes. Troops tied the hind legs of the cow with a rope meant to trap the animal. A report said that this activity is led by Sergeant Win Thain and Corporal Aye Ta from IB 304. Besides, they sell the meat in military camp at cheap rates.
He continued that the military people never go to the market to buy meat; they kill cows, buffaloes, cows and Mithuns on the sly.
Though the owners of domestic animals complained to higher authorities they paid no heed.
One of the owners said, "We had reported the matter to higher authorities but they didn't take any action for they do not care about us. Therefore we would like to inform the world through outside radio stations and reveal what the military people are doing to us!"
The Infantry Battalion no. 304 had started to kill domestic animals from 2005 and in three years they had slaughtered almost 100 animals, said owners.
Chin people have domesticated animals as part of their business but now it seems it is being reared only for foxes and military personnel. In Chin state the market price of a Mithun ranges from Kyat 250000- to 300000.
In 2003, the Burmese regime initiated commercial raising of the Mithun in Chin state.
According to the Myanmar Information Committee, Information Sheet 2003 "Development of Agriculture, Livestock Breeding in Chin State", 32,491 Mithuns had been domesticated in Chin state.
