Restriction on slaughter on Eid festival in Arakan State

Kaladan News

December 8, 2008

Restriction on slaughter on Eid festival in Arakan State

Kyauktaw, Arakan State: The Military Operation Command (MOCs) based in Kyauktaw issued orders to obtain permission from the authorities of the Township for slaughtering cattle on the event of coming Eid festival on December 6, according to an officer from Kyauktaw Township.

The coming Eid festival will celebrate in Arakan State from December 9 -11.

The MOCs 9 is known as the Daugtaw base which controls Kyauktaw, Minbya, Rathedaung, Ponnagyun and Mrauk-U Township.

The MOCs ordered the concerned authorities of the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) to issue permission for slaughtering during Eid festival with some conditions like one cattle for 100 adults, 50,000 Kyats for permission and a cattle buying slip. Those slaughtering without permission will face three years in jail, according to sources.

The MOCs also ordered the authorities to compile the list of Rohingya (Arakanese Muslims) community in their townships and send it to the MOCs, the sources added.

To get permission, we have to give details of our family list and recommendation of concerned village/ ward authorities and must to give a list of 100 people with their family list. So, it is very difficult for us to collect the list, but we need permission for person who wish to slaughter one cattle in the festival, said a trader from Mrauk-U.

"It is to discourage us to slaughter cattle during our Eid festival," he added.

It is mainly to show that the authorities are giving freedom of religious practices. It is difficult for us to collect 100 people for one cattle and placing so many conditions for our festival, said a student from Kyauktaw.

No one can buy cattle without permission and buying slip for slaughtering in the Eid festival. If anyone does so the cattle will be seized and the person punished even if the cattle is his own, said a school teacher from Rathedaung.

The authorities didn't stop cattle traders who smuggle cattle to Bangladesh by taking bribe and with the understanding that there would be less cattle for framing, said a former village headman from Rathedaung.