Two Corentyne rice farmers arrested after six cows shot dead

A long-simmering feud between Upper Corentyne rice and cattle farmers turned deadly last weekend after six cows were shot and killed. Two rice farmers have since been arrested.

The rice farmers were arrested on Thursday. They are being accused of shooting six cattle that were reportedly in the vicinity of their rice fields last weekend. The incident is the latest in a dispute between rice and cattle farmers in that area which has been ongoing for a number of years now. Rice farmers have previously called for cattle owners to ensure that their animals do not stray into their fields.

In the latest incident, it has been discovered that six cows so far, were shot and killed sometime last weekend.

Ludmila Jugistir of Lot 208 Number 61 Village, Corentyne explained that last Saturday, her husband discovered three of their cows shot dead in the backlands of Number 50 Village, Corentyne, while three other cows belonging to three different farmers in the Upper Corentyne area were also found dead.

According to the woman, one cow is valued over $100,000. “We feel very frustrated about this whole thing,” she said yesterday. She said that some animals were pregnant when they were killed.

A vet has since confirmed that the animals died as a result of the gunshot injuries they sustained, Jugistir said. As such, she is calling for the law to hold the rice farmers accountable for their actions. “The law need to take its course,” she said.

Rice farmers and cattle owners in the Upper Corentyne area have been at each other’s throat for several years now, as rice farmers have complained numerous times in the past that the cattle owners would allow their animals to enter their fields and destroy their crops.

The two farmers who were held for questioning, were part of a group of rice farmers who had contacted Stabroek News in September 2018 to relay the ongoing issue and call for an immediate intervention from the authorities before the matter escalated.  They had suggested that the authorities take strong action against cattle owners, who they said were being irresponsible by not ensuring that their animals remain in the grazing area.

The men had emphasised that the animals were destroying their livelihoods, causing them large amounts in losses.

However, Jugistir yesterday said, “Me husband tell me the animals na even get to go in the rice field cause it full of water and when it full of water, them animals can’t get to go in.”

She said that they have tried to keep their animals in the grazing areas due to the ongoing situation but did not expect someone to “murder” their cattle.

Meanwhile, Gobin Harbhajan, the Prime Minister’s Representative in Region Six, yesterday explained that some cattle farmers had approached him after they discovered their animals dead.  He said that he contacted the station sergeant where the matter was reported and provided them with a copy of a letter from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority’s legal adviser.

He said that after rice farmers had approached him some six weeks ago, he had contacted the legal adviser who had drafted a letter “to be served to the cattle farmers for destroying these crops and have some sort of appraisal in place for damages.”

Harbhajan then condemned the act by the rice farmers who allegedly shot the animals. “I don’t think that was the right thing to do,” he said.

He further urged rice farmers to contact the local water users’ association and get a copy of the letter and distribute it to cattle farmers whose animals had damaged their crops, so that the matter can be handled in a different manner. “They can get the estimate for damages and take the matter to court,” he said.