Man Aung: Part of the Burmese Naval Force stationed in Kyaukpru in western Burma’s Arakan State has seized a herd of 120 cattle that were to be smuggled out to Bangladesh, after allegedly taking bribes from the smugglers.
A local cattle dealer said the force seized the cattle due to a dispute over the unequal sharing of the bribes amongst the officers on the force.
“The cattle laden boat was about to leave for Bangladesh on the 7th of August, after paying 100 lakh Kyat to the Major of Naval Force 18, stationed in nearby Mhyaw Taw Oo Village in Man Aung Township, then another Major along with a team from the headquarters of Dynyawaddy Naval Base stationed in Kyaukpru came to the spot and seized the boat and the cattle”, said the dealer.
He said this happened due to the unequal sharing of bribes between the two Majors in the force.
“The cattle smuggling voyage has been always allowed without any disturbance or arrests after the smugglers pay bribes to any in-charge of the force deployed in the region, but this unusual problem arose from the power competition and unequal sharing of the bribes between the two Majors in the force”, he said.
He also said that the boat owner U Tin Shwe and the smuggling group had offered 400 Lakh Kyat to the Major from the headquarters for releasing the boat and the cattle, but he had turned down the offer and taken away the boat and animals to the headquarters in Kyaukpru.
Sources said that there are local people in Rammree, Man Aung and Kyaukpru townships in the southern Arakan State who are breeding cattle as a business and becoming prosperous as a result. However as there are limited local markets for their animal husbandry skills in the region, they are smuggling their animals out through brokers into neighboring Bangladesh.
They have to pay hefty bribes or toll taxes to the authorities’ forces (including not only the naval forces but also army and police deployed along the route).
According to a local business sources, the armed forces deployed across the state are still in power and no changes are so far being found in their practices and behavior toward the public.
The armed forces are still monopolizing all the public business ventures, both legal and illegal and no one will be able to undertake their respective businesses without paying toll taxes or bribes and shares to high ranking officers in the forces despite the presence of a new government in the state.
