Nasaka extorts money for visiting guests in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) extorted money from  a villagers of Maungdaw Township for giving permission to guest to stay in their homes at night without informing to concerned authorities recently, said a local elder who denied to be named. .

Aung Mingala Nasaka out-post officer Myo Than extorted Kyat 100,000 from a  Maung Nama Nge villager named Ms Rashida Begum (35), daughter of Lukman Hakim, with allegation that she received a guest without giving information to the local Nasaka authority on December 28. The Nasaka personnel arrested the nephew of Ms. Rashida who visited to his auntie near the village at about 9:00pm and released after extorted the money from Ms. Rashida, according to a relative of Rashida.
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Moreover, on February 2, Khalek (25), son of Ahmed Hussain, hailed from Maung Nama Gyi village of Kawar Bill village tract was arrested by the same Nasaka while he was visiting his younger uncle’s house. He went to Maungdaw to visit his relatives from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) where his father is now living. He went there with legal passport and informed to the Nasaka headquarters about his visit, but he did not informed to the Nasaka outpost---Aung Migla camp. He stayed only an hour after noon at his younger uncle Jamal’s house. After arrest, the Nasaka seized his passport and took away to their camp after releasing him. However, the Nasaka officer Myo Than returned the passport after taking Kyat 200,000 when he returned to Maungdaw Town, on that day, said a close relative of Khalek. 

Besides, on February 6, Sayed Hussain (aka) Gula (55), son of Sher Muluk, hailed from Maung Nama Gyi village under Nasaka Headquarters of Maungdaw Township was arrested by the Nasaka of same camp over the allegation that he received two guests at his home without giving any information to concerned authorities. Among the two, one guest informed to the concerned authority but another one was not. Both of them have ID cards. However, the house owner brought to the Nasaka camp where he was detained. After 24 hours, he was released after taking Kyat 200,000, according to a relative of the victim. 

In addition, on February 7, Ms Zaw lama (33), wife of Eliyas, hailed from south Maung Nama village under the Nasaka Headquarters of Maungdaw township, was arrested by the same Nasaka over the allegation that one of her relatives, a class (1X) student was giving private coaching to her children who are primary students in her home at about 8:00 pm. Now, her husband Eliyas is in KSA. However, she was released after giving Kyat 200,000 on that day. The coaching teacher is from Kyauk Pyin Seik village of Maungdaw Township, said a relative of the victim. 

In 2010, the Nasaka authority had declared that any villager will be arrested in the house, who has not enlisted in the family list and who has not informed to the concerned authority for permission to stay in a house as a guest. The Nasaka will arrest villagers after 9:00 pm. But, in 2011 and 2012, there was no any warning to villagers about night guests, said a local businessman preferring not to be named. 

“But, those above people were arrested between 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm,” said a local school teacher.

Nsaka personnel are very brutal to harass Rohingya community and to extort money in illegal ways, said a local trader who denied to be named