Friday 20 January 2012

The Arakan Project: Myanmar blacklists babies as oppression of the Rohingya continues

Geneva, Myanmar blacklists Rohingya babies as part of its continuing oppression of this stateless minority, The Arakan Project said today as the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) meets to review the situation of children’s rights in Myanmar, a State party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Despite signs of political reforms in the past five months, the Myanmar government has reaffirmed specific deeply discriminatory policies against this minority group on national security grounds, using justifications of ‘illegal migration management’ and ‘control on population growth’. These policies are implemented through severe restrictions on movement, requirement for official marriage permission and a ‘two-child’ policy. Marriage authorisations are only granted in exchange of high bribes and after long delays, and unauthorised marriages can be penalized with up to 10 years imprisonment.
In a submission to the CRC, The Arakan Project details how the Myanmar government punishes Rohingya children born out of unauthorised marriages or above the imposed limit of two children, by putting them on ‘blacklists’. It is estimated that more than 40,000 Rohingya children are unregistered. Since they do not exist administratively, they cannot obtain travel permits, attend school and, in the future, will be unable to marry. Over the past two months, the authorities started a process of regularization of ‘black listed’ children but many parents fear that coming forward may get them prosecuted for unauthorised marriage.
Registered Rohingya children hardly fare any better as they remain stateless. All Rohingya children suffer unmitigated discrimination with regard to education, health care and access to food. Illiteracy stands at 80%. They are exposed to preventable diseases due to chronic malnutrition and lack of access to health care. Child labour is prevalent and crucial to family survival. Rohingya children are also subject to forced labour, which, together with poverty, keeps them out of school.
Twelve-year-old Rafique (not his real name) said: “In Burma, we don’t have freedom. We cannot go to visit relatives outside the village without a travel pass. We are prisoners in our own village.” Eleven-year-old Karim Ali (not his real name) stated: “I could not go to school when there were emergency labour duties such as urgent road repairs. On these occasions, I had to work as many as 3 days a week.”
“Rohingya children bear the full brunt of the state’s policies of exclusion, restrictions and arbitrary treatment,” said Chris Lewa, Director of The Arakan Project. “These systematic policies gravely impair their physical and mental development as children and will affect the long-term future of their community.”
Myanmar has made no reference to the Rohingya in its State party reports to the CRC. Further, it has implemented none of the recommendations the CRC put to them in 2004.
Confirmation of these policies of exclusion by the new government during recent parliamentary sessions has demoralised the Rohingya community, resulting in increased refugee outflows since September 2011.
“The Myanmar government should build on its reform credentials and mark a break from past regimes by taking immediate steps to end all discriminatory policies and practices against the Rohingya.”, she added.

 The Arakan Project submission to the CRC can be accessed at:

 For more information, please contact Chris Lewa at: +41-78-723 4280 (Geneva) or chris.lewa@gmail.com

Nasaka collects money from villagers for renovation of their houses

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) has been collecting money from local villagers of Maungdaw Township for renovation of their houses and stairs since January 11, said a local trader on condition of anonymity.

“A group of Nasaka led by Captain Myint Sein from Aung Mingala Nasaka out-post camp of Nasaka Area No. 6 under Nasaka Headquarters of Kyigan Pyin ( Kawar Bill)  went to the Maung Nama village tract of Maungdaw Township and collected money from the villagers who had renovated their houses and the stepladders of the houses.”

Rohingya community is not allowed to build houses or renovate any structure---house, mosque, Madrasa, cow sheds and barriers of the houses---- without permission of concerned authority. Sometimes villagers get permission by giving huge money, and sometimes they do not get permission though they paid money. So, the villagers are not waiting for a long time to get permission and renovate their houses without permission because of fear of untimely rain, said a local religious leader.

“In northern Arakan, most of the houses are built with bamboo, wood   and roofed with thatches. So it is needed to repair or renovated yearly or at least after two years. Without renovation, family members are not able to stay at homes. The concerned authority totally bars Rohingya community to build any structure by using cement, sand and stones.”

The government intends to think outsiders (tourists, or visitors) that the Rohingya villagers are poor people living in north Arakan mostly doing hard works. They are not an ethnic group of Burma; they are citizens of Burma who have been living there since long.  They want to change the topography of north Arakan, said a schoolteacher from Maungdaw town. 

“I think that there is no country in the world, except Burma, which bars villagers to renovate the houses or homes,” said a local elder preferring not to be name. 

On January 12, the Nasaka collected Kyat 50,000 from Abdu Rahman (50),for renovation  of bamboo wall of his house;  Kyat  30,000 from Mohamed Hussain (65),  for renovation of bamboo wall of his house; Kyat 100,000 from Sayed Ahmed( 55), for renovation of veranda (porch) of his house;  Kyat 15,000 from Mohamed Sidique (40), for renovation of his house; Kyat 45,000 from Noor Mohamed (40), for renovation of stepladder, Kyat 90,000 from Idris ( 40), for renovation of stepladder; Kyat 100,000 from Hashim (32), for renovation of bamboo wall; Kyat 150,000 from Lailla  for renovation of his house; Kyat 200,000 from Ms Jamila (35), for renovation of her house;  and  Kyat 200,000 from Ms Fatema for renovation of her house.  They all belong to Maung Nama village tract of Nasaka area No.6 under the Nasaka Headquarters of Kyigan Pyin of Maungdaw Township, according to a local villager who denied to be named.

Father arrested for his daughter’s love affairs with a boy in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) arrested father of a daughter who was involved in love affairs with a boy on January 7. The Nasaka extorted Kyat 200,000 from him. It was a false and fabricated allegation, said a close relative of the victim. 

“The victim was identified as Salam Ahmed (55), hailed from Maung Nama village of Nasaka area No.6 under Nasaka Headquarters of Kyigan Pyin (Kawar Bill) of Maungdaw Township.”

“The Nasaka along with present village administration officer, Deen Mohamed (25), gave allegation that Ms Khatiza (18), daughter of Salam Ahmed has been taking illicit affairs with a youth named Kalu (13), son of Abdu Rahman, hailed from the same village since three months ago. The boy has been working at her house as a laborer before six months.”

On January 7, at around mid-night, a group of Nasaka personnel led by Officer-in-Charge Myint Sein from the Aung Mingala Nasaka camp, went to the said village and arrested Salam Ahmed over the allegation that his daughter was involved in illicit affairs with the said boy. After arrest, he was brought to the Nasaka camp where he was detained in stocks and demanded to pay Kyat 200,000 for released, said a neighbor of the victim.

“Even though the father Salam Ahmed and his daughter Ms Khatiza and the boy Kalu jointly denied the Nasaka’s allegation against them, but the Nasaka did not take any attention.”

The following day, at about 8:00 am, the arrestee was released after paying Kyat 200,000 to the Nasaka. But, they did not arrest the boy who was accused in the matter as he is very poor and the father of the girl is rich, said a local businessman.

This problem was created by the current village administration officer Deen Mohamed with the help of local Nasaka, losing the pride of the unmarried girl who has also lost her mother earlier, said a local trader who denied to be named.

“The boy is only 13 years old. Why the Nasaka with the help of village administration officer does purportedly accused the girl and extorted money? It is only because they want to harass and demoralize Rohingya community by using their power.”

“Burma is on the way to democracy and something has already been changed but persecutions against the Rohingya community are not halted,” said a youth preferring not to be named. 

It is an unbearable action of Nasaka against the Rohingya community accusing innocent women and girls with immoral accusation. It is also mentally harassment to the victims and their parents, said a local elder.

Six Rohingya arrested at border

Teknaf, Bangladesh: Six Rohingyas were arrested and pushed back to Burma by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on January 17, said a local from Teknaf.

“The Rohingya were arrested from border area of Nilla union in raided by BGB while they were entering the Bangladesh.”

The arrested have been identified as Nurul Boshar (50), Abul Hasim (40), Mohamed Yunus (25), Hamida Khatun (35), Rashidul Amin (13) and Hasina Begum. They all are belonging to Arakan State, Burma.

The operation was led by Commander Mujibur Rahaman of Nilla BGB out-post, official said.

The official also said, they were arrested at around 12:00 pm and pushed back to Burma by BGB at around 3:00 pm from  Showdary Para under Teknaf police station.

The operation officer, Major Shamzuzman from Teknaf Battalion No. 42 confirmed that they were pushed back to Burma.

On the other hands, BGB arrested six Bangladeshi with firewood from the bank of Naff River while trying to smuggle to Burma by two engine boats early morning yesterday.

On being tipped off, BGB went to Naff River, point of Rongi Khali and seized the engine boats. Yesterday afternoon, they were handed over to Teknaf police station for further investigation, according to official.

Local people loot Malaysia bound trawler

Teknaf, Bangladesh: A Malaysia bound trawler loading with 60 to 70 passengers was looted by local villagers on January 18 in the early morning while berthing at the seashore of Shamlapur under Teknafupazila, said local fisherman from Shamla pur. 

“A trawler with 60 to70 boatpeople was going to Malaysia from Cox’s Bazar on December 17, at midnight. On information, the engine trawler was chased by Bangladesh Coast Guards with a speed boat, but they were not unable to seize it as the waves of the coast were very rough.”

However, the Maji (driver) of the trawler reached to the shore of Shamla Pur (village) under the Barsara Union of Teknaf upazila. Later, all the voyagers immediately ran away for fear of police or BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) leaving their boat, rations and other goods, said a local elder from Shamlapur.  

“Knowing this event, early morning, a group villager numbering 20 to 30 led by Dacoit (Robber) Nazir Ahmed and Korim Mazi went to the spot and looted the goods from the boat. They took away the engine of the boat, 2,000 liters of fuel, brown slab-sugar, gluten rice flakes and other goods worth about 500,000.”

The dacoit Nazir Ahmed arrested 10 boatpeopleand kept in a secret place where he asked them to pay Kyat 20,000 per head for release. The all arrestees are Rohingya people. Nazir Ahmed is well-known in the area for his notorious deeds, said a fisherman from Shapuri Dip who denied to be named. 

“Being informed, on January 18, in the evening, a group police from Shamla Pur went to the spot and seized the empty boat. Most of the voyagers are Rohingya people and some are Bangladeshi.”

Masrul, police officer of Shamla Pur police station under the Teknaf upazila confirmed the event.

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.

One minor student killed, another one serious wounded in Buthidaung

Buthidaung, Arakan State: One minor Rohingya student, aged 9-year was killed,  another one aged 8 -year  was become  unconscious state by school guard (Rakhine community) on January 10, at about 8:00 pm, while on the way to home after finishing their annual  school farewell party of Myoma Zedidaung middle  school, said a close relative of the victim. 
The dead body of Ma Asma after autopsy

“The students are identified as Ma Asma alias Khin Ma Cho (9), daughter of Maulana Yunus, and Ma Hawthiza (7), daughter of Hafez Mohammed Hussain, hailed from Zabber Para (village) of Buthidaung, nearby Railway Station. They are learning at class II of Zedidaung middle school.”

The young two little girls joined the annual school farewell party at 2:00pm on January 10 and finishing at 5:00pm, but, the school guard kept the two students after finishing the school event till dark and try to snatch the ear rings of Hawtiza while the two students were trying to go back to their home as the area become dark, according to victim.

The two students screamed for help but the guard twisted the neck of Asma which made her to died and throttled Hawtiza with his bare hands. He kept the two students inside the bushes at the bottom of hill which is near the school.
Family with Asma dead body

As both girls did not come back home till 9:00 pm, their parents accompanied by other relatives went to the school to look for their daughters. But on the way, they heard a howl from Haetiza, so they rushed to the spot and found that the 9-year-old girl was already dead and the 7-year-old was lying on the road with unconscious state near a hillside at the last part of the Rakhine village. There were many wounds on the bodies, said another relative of the victim. 

“The dead girl had already been buried after taking permission from the authority concerned, and the other one has been taking medical treatment at the Buthidaung general hospital. Hawtiza was released from hospital on January 12.”

After released of Hawtiza, the authority arrested the school guard and kept in the police station for intergradation. The authority didn’t give any decision and didn’t process the school guard to the court for trail. 

Another businessman said, “This event is happened because of greediness of some local goons for taking the victims’ gold earrings. Both victims have gold earrings at their ears.”

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