[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Mizzima: Burma's cows being smuggle



--------------9E56402D2DBE27A385BFE7E9
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

             Burma's cows being smuggled across the borders

Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)

Oct. 10: The cross-border business of Burma's cows being smuggled into
neighboring countries has been growing in recent years.  As a result the
price of cows in the country has increased, and draught cows are
becoming relatively rare in Burma whose economy relies on agriculture.

According to cow traders, Burma's cows are being smuggled from the
border areas of Rakhine State, Chin State, Shan State, Kaya State, Kayin
State and Tanintharyi Division in Burma not only to neighboring
countries such as India, Bangladesh and Thailand but also to far away
countries like Malaysia.

In Rakhine State, cows are smuggled by boats to Bangladesh through the
townships of Yen Bye and Kyauk Phyu.  Cows from central Burma are
smuggled across the Indian border via Mindat township of Chin State.
Similarly, through Loikaw of Kaya State, cows are being smuggled daily
into Mae Hong Son, Mae Sariang in Thailand and from Shan State in Burma
to the border of Chiang Rai district in Thailand. Smuggling of cows also
takes place between Kyaik Hto Township in Mon State to the Thai border
via Phar Pun Township. The smuggling routes from the Tanintharyi
Division of Burma to Thailand are the Moe Taung - Pa Kyut border route,
Kaw Thaung-Seit Phu-Kalapuri-Dawei-Nat Ai-taung route. Moreover, Burma's
cows and goats are being transported by boats up to Malaysia.

Sources in the border areas estimate that between three hundred and one
thousand cows are being smuggled across these borders from Burma each
day. As a result, the price of cows inside Burma increased. The price of
two draught cows (cattle of an age fit to be used as a beast of burden)
is at present above one lakh of Kyat (Burmese currency) while it used to
be about eight thousand Kyat last year. Some pair-cattle fetch up to two
lakhs.

However, two draught cows are sold at a price of more than six lakhs if
smuggled across
the border, according to a cow trader. Cow smugglers pay bribes and
"tax" to various police, army, intelligence units, and "cease-fire"
groups (armed ethnic groups which have cease fire agreements with the
junta) on their ways to border. "Sometimes, we need to give only 300
Kyats per cattle to a Gate and there are also Gates where we have to pay
up to five thousand Kyats per cattle", said a trader.

As there is much profit in the business for smugglers, more and more
people become involved in it. On the other hand, as cows are still
widely used in the country's farms, Burma is facing a scarcity of cows,
and prices are going up.



--------------9E56402D2DBE27A385BFE7E9
Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en">
<html>

<center><font color="#000099"><font size=+1>Burma's cows being smuggled
across the borders</font></font></center>

<p><font color="#FF0000">Mizzima News <a href="http://www.mizzima.com";>(www.mizzima.com)</a></font>
<p><i><font color="#FF0000">Oct. 10:</font></i> The cross-border business
of Burma's cows being smuggled into neighboring countries has been growing
in recent years.&nbsp; As a result the price of cows in the country has
increased, and draught cows are becoming relatively rare in Burma whose
economy relies on agriculture.
<p>According to cow traders, Burma's cows are being smuggled from the border
areas of Rakhine State, Chin State, Shan State, Kaya State, Kayin State
and Tanintharyi Division in Burma not only to neighboring countries such
as India, Bangladesh and Thailand but also to far away countries like Malaysia.
<p>In Rakhine State, cows are smuggled by boats to Bangladesh through the
townships of Yen Bye and Kyauk Phyu.&nbsp; Cows from central Burma are
smuggled across the Indian border via Mindat township of Chin State. Similarly,
through Loikaw of Kaya State, cows are being smuggled daily into Mae Hong
Son, Mae Sariang in Thailand and from Shan State in Burma to the border
of Chiang Rai district in Thailand. Smuggling of cows also takes place
between Kyaik Hto Township in Mon State to the Thai border via Phar Pun
Township. The smuggling routes from the Tanintharyi Division of Burma to
Thailand are the Moe Taung - Pa Kyut border route, Kaw Thaung-Seit Phu-Kalapuri-Dawei-Nat
Ai-taung route. Moreover, Burma's cows and goats are being transported
by boats up to Malaysia.
<p>Sources in the border areas estimate that between three hundred and
one thousand cows are being smuggled across these borders from Burma each
day. As a result, the price of cows inside Burma increased. The price of
two draught cows (cattle of an age fit to be used as a beast of burden)
is at present above one lakh of Kyat (Burmese currency) while it used to
be about eight thousand Kyat last year. Some pair-cattle fetch up to two
lakhs.
<p>However, two draught cows are sold at a price of more than six lakhs
if smuggled across
<br>the border, according to a cow trader. Cow smugglers pay bribes and
"tax" to various police, army, intelligence units, and "cease-fire" groups
(armed ethnic groups which have cease fire agreements with the junta) on
their ways to border. "Sometimes, we need to give only 300 Kyats per cattle
to a Gate and there are also Gates where we have to pay up to five thousand
Kyats per cattle", said a trader.
<p>As there is much profit in the business for smugglers, more and more
people become involved in it. On the other hand, as cows are still widely
used in the country's farms, Burma is facing a scarcity of cows, and prices
are going up.
<p>&nbsp;</html>

--------------9E56402D2DBE27A385BFE7E9--