Villagers arrested by security force for buying housing land

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) extorted Kyat 300,000 from a villager of Maungdaw Township on December 15, for buying  a housing land without giving information to Nasaka, said a close relative of the victim on condition of anonymity.  

A villager named Sayed Akber (90), son of Boker, hailed from Nari Bill village of under the Nasaka area No.6 of Kawar Bill Nasaka Headquarters of Maungdaw Township has bought 0.25 acre from a villager for building house at the end of November.

On that day, at night, a group of Nasaka from Naribill Nasaka camp went to his village and arrested Sayed Akber over the allegation that he had bought a piece of land without informing to the concerned authority. After arrest, he was brought to the Nasaka camp where he was put into stocks.

However, the next day, at the evening, he was set free after paying Kyat 300,000, said a local elder.

“It is not necessary to inform to the Nasaka authority, as the victim informed to the village Chairman or Village Administration Officer and the land-surveying officer of Township for preparing documents.”

It is illegal for taking money from the villager, but forcibly took the money by using of power. Nasaka always tries how to get money from local villagers, said a local youth.

“However, villagers hope that they will be free from harassments by the concerned authorities, after the by-election of April 1.”

MPs Aung Zaw Win and U Htay Win recently visited Arakan north, and they gave assurance to the villagers that harassments by Nasaka and army will be stopped soon, according to a local businessman.