Authority again extends curfew in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Maungdaw township high level authority again extended curfew which was end today in Maungdaw, according to an officer from Maungdaw.

“Today-December 8- is the last day to withdraw the curfew from Maungdaw, but U Kyi San –the Township administration officer- announced the curfew will continuous without time limited.”
“The Township administration officer also announced that the situation in Maungdaw is not under control and trying to keep Law and order.”
The curfew will damage the lives of Rohingya community in Maungdaw, as the security force will show the curfew to extort or harass Rohingya. It will not happen any thing for Rakhine community, said an elder from Maungdaw.
“The curfew is only a cause to harass Rohingya community by authority in Maungdaw and to make disappointment and compile the Rohingyas to left their birth land. The authority will not allow Rohingya to work for their survival with restriction of movement which will damage the lives of Rohingyas. For these reason, Rohingya will leave their home land to Bangladesh which the authority dream it.”
“It will not happen as the Rohingya will not leave their home land as they are living in this land since long time.”
The President Thein Sein  tries to keep times for solving the Arakan riots , showing the government has no fund to solve the problem between Rohingya and Rakhine and asking money from international community, but didn’t allow the aids worker to work in the field. The government is just trying to get money from international community. The government didn’t supply aids to Rohingyas IDPs where foods and every things need for people are available for Rakhine community which was stated recently by BBC reporter, said a politician from Maungdaw.

Nearly 150- boat people again missing in the Bay of Bengal

Teknaf, Bangladesh: An engine boat was sunk again in the deep sea and was missing 150-boat people while it was going to Malaysia from Bangladesh by sea route, according to a local Bangla Newspaper. 
“The engine boat left for Malaysia by sea-route on the night of December 6, but, on the way, it was capsized by rough waves in the sea. So, nearly 150 people were missing and 48 people were rescued.”
On that day (Tuesday), when a ship from Northern Shipping Joint Stock Company of Vietnam named ‘Nacovic Victory' was going to Singapore from the Chittagong sea port, it met the floating engine boat and some boat-people were also floating in the sea.
As a result, the crew of the ship immediately (from Tuesday night to morning), tried and rescued 39 voyagers and then 9 others boat-people were also recovered by another container, so, in total 48 people were rescued from the sea,  according to the sources from Chittagong  shipping cycle.
The rescued boat-people did not speak in English, so, the crew was not able to ask them questions. But, the rescued boat-people with signals said that nearly 200 people were present in the boat, the local Bangala Newspaper more added.
However, the crew of the ship brought the rescued boat-people to Singapore, but the ship will arrive there the next Sunday, the paper said.
A businessman from Teknaf said that many boat-people have been missing in the deep sea because the crews were unable to rescue other voyagers.
According to different sources, in two months, more than 300 boat-people have been missed in the Bay of Bengal.

Village administrators summoned at Nasaka camp

Maungdaw, Arakan State: All Village Administration officers, under Nasaka (Burma’s border security force) area No.7 of Maungdaw south were summoned to its local Nasaka commanding office by the Commander on December 6, 2012, said one of the local village Administration officer from Aley Than Kyaw village.
“We were called because to pay night sentry in the villages for security.”
In the meeting, the Nasaka commander discussed many different issues with village leaders regarding the present situation of Arakan State, said an aide of Nasaka.
Later, the commander told to stop primary education of Arabic literature where religious teachers have been teaching small boys and girls inside the mosques or Moktobs (small school) without knowledge of concerned authorities, he added.
“Every village has to pay sentry at night, if anyone does not comply with the order, he will be punished according to the law,” the commander said.
The Gonzondia village administration officer - Biala - asked to the Nasaka commander, the end of his speech, “No youths in the village now, they left from Arakan because of fear of arrest and arbitrary harassments by the concerned authorities. Mostly, old people are living in the villages. How they will pay night sentry in the cold season?,”
The Nasaka commander reply, “I don’t know, I need sentry in the village at night.It is my order.”
A local elder said on condition of anonymity, “We are very afraid to pay sentry at night. We will be arrested by the security forces over the false and fabricated allegations. It is be very difficult for the Rohingya community at this moment.”
It is another tactic to arrest the villagers or to arrest after giving allegation when the villagers are present in the sentry camps, said a trader from the locality.
Another local elder said, “To stop the basic primary Arabic education in villages is another deprivation of Rohingys’ rights. We have been teaching young children since long.” 
Many people say, the present government is varying into democracy, but, in fact, it is not changing. It is worse than previous one. President’s mind set is not changed, so far, though he has altered civilian clothes, said a politician.