Maungdaw, Arakan State: Natala or model villagers brought to north Arakan from Burma proper to depopulate and to harass the Arakanese Rohingya community are using new tactics to steal cattle from Arakanese Rohingya villagers in Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships, said a local elder.

The Natala villagers have been stealing cattle from the cow sheds of Arakanese Rohingya farmers at night. Then they take photographs of the theft and show it to the owners of the cattle the following day and ask for money to free them. If the cattle owners want their cattle back they will pay money Natala villagers, otherwise it will not be returned to the owners, the local elder added. 

Natala villagers don’t care for the authorities such as---the Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairmen, Burma’s border security force (Nasaka), army, Military Intelligence (Sarapa), police, Township PDC and District PDC Chairmen. The authorities indirectly encourage the Natala villagers to harass Arakanese Rohingya villagers. If the Arakanese Rohingya villagers  complain to the authorities, no heed is taken, said a local schoolteacher. 

For instance, on March 6, a group of Natala villagers from Wabeg village of Maungdaw Township picked up eight cows from the cow shed of Moulvi Sultan (30), son of Sayaed Ali, from Pawet Chaung village of Maungdaw Township late at night. Luckily, one of the villagers saw the Natala villager’s lifting cows, when he was going to the toilet in his compound. He started shouting and villagers chased the Natala villagers who fled leaving the cattle, said a close relative of Moulvi Sultan.  

Besides, a day earlier, a big buffalo belonging to Roffique (22), son of Abdu Suban, from  Pawet Chaung village of Maungdaw township was stolen by the same Natala villagers  and they went to the owner’s home and showed the photograph of the missing buffalo and demanded Kyat 200,000. But, the owner did not choose the buffalo after paying money, but it was informed to the Nasaka camp. But, Nasaka told him that they   will not take action against the Natala villagers as they are native people. 

The Natala villagers also steal cattle from Arakanese Rohingya farmers of Buthidaung Township accompanied by some local Chakam (Dinet in Burmese) after crossing the Ngakin Tauk Mountain pass and sell meat in Arakanese Rakhine villages of Maungdaw Township after slaughter.  In the Buthidaung side, there is a military camp and in Maungdaw side there is a Nasaka camp so the Natala villagers dare to steal cows and buffaloes from Arakanese Rohingya villagers.

Besides, the Natala villagers also rob the Arakanese Rohingya villagers from the eastern mouth of the mountain-pass while returning to their homes of Buthidaung after selling their goods in Maungdaw Township after crossing the mountain- pass. Natala villagers always carry knives, bare swords, catapults and Miasu, which was widely used by students in1988 democracy uprising, said another local villager on condition of anonymity. 

Meanwhile, the Nasaka of Maundaw Township collected tax of Kyat 500 per head (Arakanese Rohingya) from the western mouth of the mountain-pass.  The mountain pass is 16 miles long from east to west connecting the two townships.

The junta is not satisfied with harassing the Arakanese Rohingya people through Nasaka, army, police, Sarapa (Military Intelligence). Therefore, the authorities ask Natala villagers to harass Arakanese Rohingya by bringing them from Burma proper. By nature, the Natala villagers are very notorious, said a youth from Maungdaw.