Soldiers from the Burmese army stationed in Buthidaung have looted several tons of rice from local traders transporting the rice from Sittwe on board the Danyawaddy ferry ship to be sold in Buthidaung markets, one woman trader told Narinjara over the phone yesterday.
The incident took place on place on the ferry ship on 25 January, 2008, on the way to Buthidaung from Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State. The woman said that several rice traders were transporting many tons of rice from Sittwe to Buthidaung, where the price of rice is double that in the capital, after bribing local law enforcement officials at the Sittwe jetty and shipescorts.
The authority in Arakan State does not allow the transport of rice from the middle of the state to the north in order to control the ricemarket in Arakan, so traders must bribe local authorities in order to transport rice to the north. Transportingrice to Buthidaung and other parts of northern Arakan is a lucrative business for poor traders, and many unemployed people are involved in the business, the trader said. On the ferry ship on the day in question, a platoon of about 50 army personnel boardedalong with other passengers, but soon began drinking a lot on board, she said.When theship began to approach Buthidaung, the soldiers started to look for rice, accusing the traders of smuggling.
Afterward,the soldiers took the rice from the traders and began throwing it into the water from the ship. Many rice traders were crying as their rice was thrown overboard. Some traders were attempting to drag their rice bags away fromthe army men in hopes of holding on to it, and the atmosphere on the ship became chaotic and confusing.Although they threw many bags overboard, many army personnel secretly stowed some of the looted rice in their own bags and packages to bring back to the barracks and tosell in the markets, the woman added.
Referrenced By:Narinjara News
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