The Burma Army has been collecting a levy of 2,000 kyats a head on Rohingya owned animals destined for Qurbari sacrifice at the Muslim religious festival of Eid al-Adha, according to Jala Sha a trader from Aley Than Kyaw.
He said that since 19 September the Burma Army has been taking 2,000 kyats for each head of cattle sold at Aley Than Kyaw cattle market.
Hamid, a villager from Myint Hlut said that most of the cattle are being bought to Aley Than Kyaw from the villages to the south, such as Kyauk Pun Du (Shitapurika), Myint Hlut (May Rulla), Gawyahkhali and Oo Daung
The Burma Army battalion based in Aley Than Kyaw has set up temporary outposts to collect levies on cattle at the villages of Gorakahli, Udaung and Khonzabilon on the Than Kyaw to Ah Ngu Maw highway, according to cattle traders.
Ahmed, a cattle trader, said: "I sold a cow at the market yesterday and made some profit, but after deducting the levy I made nothing."
Lattif, another cattle trader, said: "Everyone who sells and trades cattle has to pay money to the relevant authorities and pay a sales tax to the cattle market, so traders make less profit."
The festival of Eid al-Adha is held on the 10th, 11th or 12th of the Islamic month of Zil Hijjah and Qurbani is the ritual sacrificial slaughter of animals during the festival. The animals to be slaughtered have to be domesticated quadrupeds, usually they are either goats, sheep, rams, cows, or camels.
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
