Forcibly collecting for football tournament

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Burma border security force (Nasaka) with three collaborators of them forced the village administration offices to collect money from villagers for football tournament, organized by Major Than Naing, the commander of Nasaka area  7, said an ex-schoolteacher from the area.

“The football tournaments have been held in Maungdaw south - Nasaka area 7 - since November 13, after collecting money forcibly from local villagers.”

“There are 11 villages in Nasaka area No.7, and the Nasaka personnel also forced three villages from the Nasaka area No. 8 to participate in the football tournament. The Nasaka and its collaborators forced the villagers to pay 200 Kyat per person where a family must pay 2000 kyats which has 10 members.”  

Some money will be used in the tournament and most of the money will go to the pocket of Nasaka and its collaborators, said a village elder who denied to be named. “If the authority has no fund, why organized the football tournament for villagers. It is only a technique to extort money from villagers.”  

“The football tournaments are being played at Aley Than Kyaw football ground and the field is decorated by planting areca palm around the field which were also collected from the villagers.”

Villagers do not interest in the football matches as it is the dull season for the farmers; they have no vegetables or paddy to sell. The authority collected money forcibly from them, and the poor villagers are suffering, said a local trader.

A farmer said on condition of anonymity, “One of the Nasaka’s collaborators comes to me and asks money. I told him that I have no food today, where I get money to pay you.” 

The tournament is organized by Major Than Naing, the commander of area 7 with the help of its collaborators – Puto alias Aman Ullah, Ibarahim and Reduwan.

BGB seizes two Malaysia voyages’ engine trawlers

Teknaf, Bangladesh: The Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) seized twoMalaysia voyages’ engine trawlers on November 13, while preparing to go to Malaysia by sea route from the Bay of Bengal nearby Shapuri Dip, said a fisherman, from Shapuri Dip who denied to be named.

“On information, a group of BGB led by Company commander Shahab Uddin of BGB out-posts of Shapuri Dip went to the spot, and seized two engine trawlers with some dried rations.”

“The BGB also arrested a small boy aged only 10 while the boat-people ran away from the coast.”

According to a boat people watch, about 100 boat-people came from Cox’s Bazar to board on the trawlers but they ran away after sensing the arrival of BGB personnel.

However, the BGB handed over the boat to the customs of Teknaf and filed a case against the owners of the engine trawlers. The two engine trawlers are worth about Taka 300,000, said BGB official.

Similarly, police personnel from Bahar Sara seized a trawler and rescued 60 boatpeople on October 30.

Although, the BGB, coastguard and police on the border area are trying to stop human trafficking from the Bay of Bengal, some of the traffickers tactfully send people to Malaysia with shaky small boats, said a trader from Teknaf on condition of anonymity.

Authority plans to register so called black list baby in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The concerned authority from Maungdaw is planning to register so called black list babies with some conditions today, according to official from Maungdaw.

The authority announced to Rohingya community only in Maungdaw to register the so called black list baby to near the Burma border security force (Nasaka) with two local elder witnesses and to bring a judgment from Maungdaw court with giving 400 kyats as fine, the officer said.

“The announcement was released after meeting high level officers from northern Arakan in Maungdaw.”

The so called black list baby was announced for northern Arakan by Union Minister for Immigration and Population U Khin Yi replied the questions raised by U Shwe Maung (a) U Adu Rawzak of Buthidaung Constituency, Arakan State Hluttaw representatives in the first Pyithu Hluttaw second regular session was held at Pyithu Hluttaw Hall of Hluttaw Building on September 2.

The Union Minister for Immigration and Population U Khin Yi categorized the black list bay as black list baby issue is one of many significant aspects in population control measures in Maungdaw region of Rakhine State because of racial conditions; illegitimate children are those born to unmarried parents, defected father, once-defected father who returns illegally, widow, divorcee and single and while the marriage dossier is hearing; the identification of illegitimate children contributes to legal marriage, decrease in illegal relationship with once-defected husbands, and decline in birthrate by widow, divorcee and single; according to 2009 data, there are 7289 illegitimate children; as they grow up, the problem will be more complex as they will still be unrecognized, breaching regional laws, married illegally, giving birth and their newborns will also unrecognized; so, the plan is under way to charge the respective guardians in accord with the law and to add them to respective census.
“The Union Minister for Immigration and Population U Khin Yi only mention the black list baby is only found in northern Arakan where the Burmese government is using restriction for marriage to Rohingya community, not for other parts of Burma and other ethnic since long,” said a school teacher from Maungdaw.

“According to Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) stated its article number 16 that; Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution; Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses; the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State, but in northern Arakan, most of the Rohingya are not able to get marriage permission from authority for lack of financial status which the authority demand for it.”

“The Rohingya couples who had married without permission were going to flee from their home land for fear of arrest with 7 years jail term and the authority erased their name from their family list. The authority again violated UDHR article number 14 that everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution; this right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.”

The Baby  who the authority called black list baby had made any violation against the law, why the baby has to go to the court for judgment and pay fine 400 kyats; the baby was born in northern Arakan and has rights to live in his/her birth place. The only fact is come from Rohingya community nothings else, said a politician from Maungdaw.

“Is there any Rakhine baby who categorized black list baby in northern Arakan or other part of Burma to go to court for judgment for his/her birth rights?

BGB sends 17 Rhingyas to Jail, 39 pushes back to Burma

Teknaf, Bangladesh: Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) sent 17 Rohingyas to Cox’s Bazar jail who were arrested on November 12, from Shapuri Dip, and 39 Rohingyas were pushed back to Burma who were arrested from Whaikong border point, according to Teknaf police official. 

“Those who were arrest from Shapuri Dip are suspected as boat-people who intend to go to Malaysia; they gave Taka 25,000 to trafficker in advance for Malaysia trip, and the rest Taka 100,000 to be paid in Malaysia after arrival there.”

Besides, on November 13, at about 1:00 pm, 39 Rohingyas were arrested by BGB personnel of Whaikong BGB out-post camp while illegally entering Bangladesh from Whaikong border point. Most of the arrestees are young people between 20 years to 12 years. It is very strange, why the young people are fleeing to Bangladesh without learning in schools, said BGB official. 

The arrestees are from Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Sittwe (Akyab), the capital of Arakan State. After arrest and primary question from them and were sent to police station of Teknaf. Afterwards, all the arrestees were pushed back to Burma from Mosoni Nayapara border point said the Company Commander (Sergeant) Bazalur Rahaman of Whaikong BGB out-posts camp.

The arrestees from Whaikong were identified as:- Sayed Noor (25), Eliyas (24), Md. Enus (19), Zobayat (18), Abdu Malek (45), Shamsul Islam (20), Ali Hussain (18), Mozemail(17),  Abdul Noor(14), Sayed Ahmed(15),  Md.Rohim (21), Abul Khasim( 18),  Md. Shoffique (20), Salim Ullah (15),  Md. Toha (17), Kamal Hussain (26), Md.Rofique(18),  Sayedul Amin (26), Md. Ayas (15), Md. Hussain(29), Amin (28), Shamshu Alam ( 18), Zahin Gir (25), Abdullah (11),  Enus(18), Shamshu Alam (22), Md.Zaker( 15), Deshon(17),  Md. Hussain( 15), Md. Enus(30), Rofique (12),Kalu(13), Rofique (15), Abdullah(20), Md. Esuf (26), Zahid Hissain (12), Abdullah(19) and Zaber(16).