The Tonzang Township Darkhai village based LIB 268 of the Burmese Army seized 16 bulls that were being taken to Mizoram state in Northeast India on October 17. The troops have demanded a large amount of money from the bull traders.

The owner of the bulls told Khonumthung News that he was told to pay Kyat 10 Lakh for the return of his bulls by Commander Myo Kyaw Taih and his troops.  If he is unable to pay the money demanded the bulls would be confiscated. He was also threatened that he would be put in a lockup. So he borrowed money from his friends and other bull traders.

“There is no way we can make profit from my trade in this kind of situation. I don’t know how to recover the money, he said.

Most of the bull traders are Chin and they transport bulls from Kalemyo, Sagaing division and Gangaw township, Magwe division with help from friends. Normally a bull costs Kyat 90,000 to 200,000 and they sell for Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 20,000 in Mizoram state, India.

On October 16, two soldiers from the same camp had arrested a bull trader in Tidim town. They extorted Kyat 70,000 from him. On September 30 also the Vuangtu based troops in uniform detained two bull traders between Mautlang and Lungchuite village and fleeced him of Kyat 70,0000 in Thantlang township, Chin state.

The Burmese Army has been collecting excessive tax and money from all kind of traders operating on the Indo-Myanmar border road for a decade now.