Nasaka arrests, extorts money from Rohingya

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) arrested two Rohingya women and extorted Kyat 300.000 for release on April 30, in Maungdaw north, Arakan State, Burma, said a close relative from the locality on condition of anonymity.

“The Camp-in-Charge U Myo Than and three Nasaka personnel from Aung Mingala Nasaka camp of Maungdaw township accompanied by local village administration officer Dil Mohamed went to the house of Ms Lalu (alias) Ms Nurkis ( 45) of Maung Nama village of Maungdaw Township where the Nasaka arrested her with her nephew Ms Noor Banu (20), on April 30 at mid-night.”

“The Nasaka accused with allegation of not informing the concerned authority about visiting gust at her resident.”

“We had informed about Ms. Noor Banu’s visiting with her white card –issue by government to Rohingya community instate of pink card for Burmese citizen - to the village administration office, but the Nasaka asked for travel pass from village which is only 2 miles from the said village – Naribill  and Maung Nama village,”

There is no need to obtain travel pass from village as Nasaka Director Col. Aung Gyi passed an order of new travel policy- can travel without village travel pass within township, but need Identification Card (white card) - for Rohingya community while he met with  Rohingya leader on April 21, said a schoolteacher from the locality. “The accusation is only to extort money from Ms.Nurkis as her husband – Zawlil Ahmed - is working in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

“Nasaka and village chairman targeted the women whose husbands are in foreign countries. If the women are threatened by any means by giving any allegation, they (Nasaka) will get money from them.”

“The intention of the Nasaka and village administration officer is to extort money from them and to insult them if they get opportunity and wants to flee them from the motherland, said a village elder who denied to be named.

“Earlier, the Nasaka also committed such kinds of crimes, but the local concerned officers did not take any action against the culprits, so that these kinds of crimes can be increased in future and the Muslim Rohingya will become more and more victims and at last they will flee from Arakan to neighboring countries with unbearable persecutions.” 

“These kinds of occurrences make local Rohingya people demoralized and push them into poverty line. Rohingya people have to sell their property such as ---lands, gold ornaments and cattle--- with throwing price to fulfill the authority’s demand.”

After the new government of President Thein Sein, Rohingya people believe that arbitrary harassments against the Rohingya community by police, Nasaka and army will be decreased, but, increases day by day, said a local woman who preferred not to be named.

When connected the village administration officer, Dil Mohamed, the agent of Nasaka and U  Myo Than , the Nasaka officer, but no response.