Friday 11 November 2011

Two Nasaka personnel killed in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Two Burma border security force (Nasaka) personnel were killed by local Rohingya villagers of Done Pite ( Aung Deik Pyin) while trying to attempt to rape a girl at about 7:00pm on November 1, said an elder from the village.

“Three Nasaka personnel attacked a Rohingya girl – going to fetch water from a pond - to attempt to rape where another Rohingya girl informed to the villagers who beat the Nasaka personnel until they become unconscious.”

“Nasaka personnel who had an automatic rifle fled from the angry villagers and hid in a place till 11:00 pm for fear of beating and he reported to their camp number 18, under Nasaka area number 8.”

A group of Nasaka personnel went for searching two missing Nasaka personnel who had entered the village in the eve, found their dead bodies on the bank of the pond. Nasaka brought the dead bodies to their camp, said an aide from the Nasaka.

“The three Nasaka personnel are; Sergeant Myo Nay Htun, Private Sein Win and San Aye who had automatic rifle only. The three Nasaka personnel drank too much before entering the village and can’t able to control themselves.”

“We had given the statement that the village administration office didn’t able to mention anyone as the whole villagers involved in the event where the villagers had no intension to kill the Nasaka personnel, only to give punishment for attempting to rape,” said a village administration office member.

“In Rohingya tradition, all Rohingya females from village are fetching water from the pond/lake/River in the evening as a daily work in the rural areas. The three drunken Nasaka personnel who were entered the village to see village administration officer, met the females who were going to fetch water and changed their mind to attack the female with bad intention.”

“The villagers are fleeing from their village for fear of arrest by the concerned authority and go into hiding somewhere in Maungdaw south and the whole village is going to in panic. No one was arrested till now but the interrogation is going on.”

Rohingyas celebrate Eid-ul-Azha in northern Arakan and in refugee camp

Teknaf, Bangladesh: The Rohingya Muslim across the northern Arakan State celebrated Eid-ul-Azha, the festival of sacrifice, yesterday with due religious fervor and solemnity, but not with happiness because of disturbance of concerned authorities, said a local elder who denied to be named.

“The day's program began with offering Eid prayers by Rohingyas at mosques and Eidgahs (open fields) throughout the Arakan State seeking peace and prosperity for the nation.”

In Maungdaw township, Arakan State, Township Administration office collected kyat 2000 per head of sacrificial cow through the block/village administration office and Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) collected two Viss of meat per a cow, said a local ender from Maungdaw. (One Viss= 1.64 Kg)

“In Maungdaw municipal area, the block administration office collected Kyat 2000 per a cow around 1:00pm and later, but in the rural area the village administration office collected more money than in town from devotees per cow.”

“The hides were collected by Township development committee.”

In Buthidaung Township, the Nasaka also collected meat and money from sacrificial animals, said a businessman from Buthidaung Town.   

Many Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh also celebrated Eid-ul-Azha without meat on November 7, according to a refugee leader from the official Nayapara refugee camp.

Rohingyas who are not registered under the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) received meat from an NGO, which generally donate supplies of meat to the camps during the festival every year, but refugees who are registered--- in Nayapara and Kutupalong camps---did not receive any meat from government and NGO, said a refugee leader from Nayapara camp. 

However, some of the cows were slaughtered in official Nayapara camp, which were distributed by their relatives who have been living in abroad. Besides, an NGO named Poor Aid distributed some goats and cows in Nayapara camp. It has 3,209-family and living over 12,000 refugees. 

In Leda (Tal), an unofficial camp which did not receive any support from any quarter receive 60 sacrificial cows from  a NGO, Turkey’s Humanitarian Aid Foundation (İHH), of them two cows were taken away by an ex-local member Mohamed Alam for his home. Two Rohingyas from outside helped the NGO while distributing the sacrificial animals, but, they took away all the hides. It has 2,100-family, and over 12,000 refugees are living. Every family received 1.5 kg of meat, said a refugee from the camp.

In Kutupalong makeshift camp, the Turkish NGO, Turkey’s Humanitarian Aid Foundation (İHH), also distributed another 60 sacrificial cows, but of them two cattle were taken away by a local ex-member Bokter for him. Under his command, 38 cows had been distributed in the camp, but he took away all the hides. Besides, another new local member named Abdul Haque distributed the rest 20 cows to the camp. But, he took away all legs (front parts), bellies and hides. Refugees received 0.5 kg of meat per family. It has 5,660-family and living over 40,000 refugees, said a refugee leader who did not mention his name. 

The refugees of Kutupalong official camp also did not receive any cows from government and NGOs, but some cows had been distributed by their relatives who have been living in foreign countries. It has 1,918-family and living about 12,083 refugees.   

The officer of Nayapara refugee camp told the refugees that Bangladeshi government had not made provisions for the camps and that he didn’t know what meat or other supplies would be available through NGOs.

“We tried to get assistance from NGOs as before, but I don’t know why this time they are not supplying meat to refugees.”

It is a solemn, sacred festival which enables a person to enjoy, in the right spirit of Islam, through Azha, sacrifice and surrender, resignation and renunciation, selflessness and total submission to the Will of God, said a religious leader from Maungdaw.

“Eid-ul-Azha, the largest religion festival of Muslims, brings for the Muslims divine blessing, an occasion not only to enjoy but also to receive Allah's Mercy and reward through sacrifice and benevolence, patience and constancy”.

Nasaka commander’s harassment at Taungbru sub-town

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Nasaka commander of Nasaka area No.3, of Maungdaw Township has been harassing the local Rohingya people and extorting money over giving false and fabricated cases, said a trader from the locality on condition of anonymity.

“The Nasaka commander was recently coming from Rangoon, and he was appointed as a commander of Nasaka area No.3 at Taungbru sub-town. He himself accompanied by other Nasaka personnel from the camp went to the local village at mid night while the villagers were sound sleeping and arrested the local villagers over many kinds of allegation such as--- holding mobile sets, connection with relatives in abroad, renovating of porches or homes, illegally border crossing and human trafficking--- etc. So far, except him, no Nasaka Commander went for operation to the village at night.”

“After going to the villages, he seized the family lists of some villagers which he wanted. But, the commander has lists which were provided by their agents in advance. Then the commander asked the villagers to go to their camp the next day to take their family lists.”

“When the villagers went to the Nasaka camp, they returned the family lists to the villagers who are able to pay money. The Nasaka commander had already filed cases against the villagers and has to pay money according to their cases. So the Nasaka forced the villager to pay Taka 10,000 or 20, 000 or 50,000, or 100,000 according to the volume of the case and returned the family lists. In this way, the Nasaka commander is collecting money from the villagers indiscriminately. It is very strange that they extorted Bangala currency instead of Kyat.”

For instance, the Nasaka commander extorted Taka 50,000 from Kunsipyin Madrasa on November 2, over the allegation that it has mobile set, Taka 20,000 from Ms Nur Seban over allegation of holding mobile, Taka 100,000 from Mv. Azad Ali over allegation of holding mobile, Taka 50,000 from Shofi Ullah over the allegation that a person was absent from the list. The person went to other village to visit his relative with permission. These all victims belong to Kunsipyin village tract under Nasaka area No.3, said local school teacher who denied to be named. 

“Besides, Anwar Islam, son of Ahamadu, very poor man was still detained in the Nasaka camp, hailed from Kunsipyin Village tract, and has no possibility for holding a mobile set. He was arrested 17 days ago.”

“Another man named Mv. Mohamed Tayub from said village tract was arrested by Nasaka four days ago for not giving one Bira (80 pcs) of betel leaf. One Bira betel leaf is cost at Kyat 400. He is still in detention at the Nasaka camp.”

They went to villages at about 12:00 mid night and continued their work till 4:30 am. The surrounded the whole village for controlling the villagers from going out / coming to village.  They collected Kyat 10,000 from a man who is absent from the house. Actually, he/she went to other village with the permission to pay a visit to his/her relatives. It is a kind of inhuman harassment when the whole villagers are sleeping and the women are being frightened for seeing the soldiers at night at their homes, said a businessman.  

The extortion is going under supervise of the area commander and the Military intelligence officer where no one left within the process and half of their (villagers) earning is going to the concerned authorities’ account, said a local elder who denied to be named.

New way to send Malaysia voyages

Teknaf, Bangladesh: The agents, who try to send voyages to Malaysia through risky sea route, create a new method to cheat voyages and their safety, using border trade cargo boats for carrying Malaysia voyages, said a boat people watchdog from border.
Main border trade center of Teknaf Land port  for Burma and Bangladesh

“Most the of the rural areas’ Bangladeshi people and Burmese people want to go  Malaysia from Shapuri Dip; Cox’s Bazar and from other places of Bangladesh, but recently Traffickers (Dalals) select Teknaf land-port to send boat-people to Malaysia.”

According to the border trade agreement of Burma and Bangladesh, engine boats from Akyab and Rangoon of Burma carried cargo goods to Teknaf land port of Bangladesh where its carry some goods from Bangladesh to Burma. But, recently for exchange rate up down, the Burmese traders are not carrying any goods to Burma, said an officer of C & F agent from Teknaf.

“The traffickers contact the Burmese cargo boats’ owner/ captain (driver) to carry Malaysia voyages with empty boats while returning to their home port (Akyab / Rangoon). The traffickers secretly board the Malaysia voyages to Burmese cargo boats as per their agreement.”

Burmese cargo boats in Teknaf land port

“The Burmese cargo boats were driving 3 to 4 days in the sea with the voyages and landed on seashore where the owner/ driver said the boat reached at Malaysia and the boats flee away, but, the Malaysia voyages are stranded on the sea beach.”

“The voyages are saved by fishermen or arrested by authority (Bangladesh, India, Burma and Thailand).”

“Within 3 to 4 days, three to four trawlers will go to Malaysia from Teknaf land-port or from the Bay of Bengal nearby Teknaf, said a fisherman from Shapuri Dip.

Traffickers used this kind of fishing boats for Maylaysia voyagers

“The Malaysia voyages are under the management of traffickers --- Md. Sayed, hailed from Bazar Para, Md. Enus, hailed from Konar Para, and Abdu Salam of Mazar Para, hailed from Shapuri Dip. The  main Malaysia voyages are control by Md. Abdu Rahim of Cox’s Bazar, Md. Younus of Shapuri Dip, Ms bilkis Khatoon, Alamgir of Shapuri Dip in Bangladesh and they collected Taka 25,000 to 30,000 per each in advance before getting on trawler, after reaching in Malaysia; another Taka 100,000 has to be paid to another trafficker who lives in Malaysia, or have to give a grantee the money will paid in Bangladesh if no one is in Malysia,” according to boat people watchdog.

Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB) arrested 22 boat-people yesterday while going to Maylaysia with shaky trawler from Shapuri Dip of Teknaf, under Cox’s Bazar district and four traffickers ----- Md. Abdullah(19), son of Khobir Ahmed, hailed from Shapuri Dip, Jaffar Alam(18), son of Sultan Ahmed, Robiul Alam(18), son of Md.Issaque, Ahmed( 20), son of Jalal Hossain, Hailed from Zalla Para of Teknaf  on November 9  while paying patrol at the coast of Shapuri Dip, according to BGB official.

“Abdullah confessed that they are only collecting boat people and arranging to board to the boats safely. All the process are controlling by main agents (traffickers)---- Md. Abdu Rahim of Cox’s Bazar, Md. Younus of Shapuri Dip, Ms bilkis Khatoon, Alamgir of Shapuri Dip.”

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Maung daw, Arakan state, Myanmar (Burma)
I am an independent man who voted to humanitarian aid.