Security forces surround a Rohingya village for 10 hours in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: A joint security forces – police, Hluntin and Burma border security force (Nasaka) – had surrounded a Rohingya village from midnight 1:00am till morning 11:00am today, according to a politician from Maungdaw.

“The security forces had surround the Nyaung Chang (Khadir Bill) village- situated near the three miles checked point – at about 1:00 am midnight and blocked every points where all the villagers are not able to escape the village. The security forces kept all Rohingya villagers who are living in the farms and not allow to go to the village.”
The Nasaka Director Col. Aung Naing Oo, the district police officer Kaun Hla San and the officer in charge of Hluntin arrived at nyaung Chang early morning  and checked all the Rohingya villagers who were kept by security forces at night and released all the villagers, said a villager from Nyaung Chang.
“The security forces entered the village and checked one by one the houses of Rohingya villager till 11:00am. But, the security forces didn’t arrest any Rohingya villagers from the village.”
The security forces are looking some 18 Rohingya villagers, but they didn’t found them in the village and the security forces asked the villagers – children and female- about any strangers in the village, according to an official.
“The authority searched the village as there are some people who are aliens.”
“The villagers – children and female- become afraid while the security forces searched the homes inside the village.”
An elder from Maungdaw said, there is a so-called arrest warrant issued by Maungdaw court which was not published to the public and whenever police want to extort money from Rohingya, the police mention the so-called arrest warrant. But, there was not happened like this, it is look a operation to us.
“We fear that Rohingya community might the face the similar situation sooner or later.”

Authority forces to register as Bengali

Maungdaw, Arakan State:  The authority – Burma border security force (Nasaka) –is forcing Rohingya community to register as Bengali, with registration process which includes taking digital fingerprints and photographs since early this month, according to a village admin officer from Maungdaw.

“The Nasaka called the Rohingya villagers under their area, to register by forced to accept Bengali as their ethnicity which is not accepting by Rohingya community.”
The Nasaka personnel from Headquarters summoned Gyikanpin ( Kawarbil)  villagers to it office where the Nasaka forced the Rohingya to signature on a blank paper where the Nasaka mentioned  Bengali as ethnic on December 27. But, the Rohingya villagers didn’t signature on it, according to an elder from Gyikanpin village.
“It is the order of high authority, you must follow it, and otherwise you will fire for it,” said a Nasaka officer. “If you will not signature on this paper, you are not belong to this land.”
Similarly, Nasaka officer Win Hlaing and Tun Tun Naing are forcing Rohingya community from Ngarkhura village to register as Bengali under digital fingerprints and photographs registration process on December 22, according to a teacher from Ngarkhura village.
“When the Nasaka officers ordered to village admin officer to bring Rohingya villagers to their office, the Rohingya refused to go to the office and to register as per the Nasaka willing.”
It is the order of higher authority. If you don’t follow the order, will be arrested and prosecuted, the officer told the villagers.
But, the Rohingya community didn’t follow the order to register as per Nasaka plan. The Nasaka started again to made harassment the Rohingya while going to the Ngarkhura market where the Nasaka and village admin official called Rohingya community who were going to market to their office where the Nasaka and village admin official forcefully taking digital fingerprints and photographs for registration process, said an elder from the village.
“Now, the villagers are not going to the market to avoid from forcefully taking digital fingerprints and photographs for registration process. The market has no people and Rohingya become again helpless for their survival.”

Armies collect paddy in Rathedaung Township

Rathedaung, Arakan State:  Armies from Rathedaung Township have been collecting paddy from Rohingya villagers since December third week from their hired arable lands to Rohingya villagers after seizing from them, a village farmer said preferring not to be named.
“The armies collected 13 Tangs (one Tang = 35 kg) per acre from the villagers. The arable lands were owned by Rohingya villagers, but these were seized by armies earlier for their purposes and again hired to the Rohingya farmers year by year at the rate of 13 Tans per acre.”
This year, in 2012, Rohingya farmers fully did not able to grow paddy in their hired arable lands from the armies because of violence in June between Rakhine and Rohingya communities. But, army forcibly collected paddy for those arable lands in which they were not able to grow paddy during violence, said another villager from the locality.
The armies seized 200 acres of arable lands only from the Tha Pay Taw village tract of Rathedaung Township. In similar way, the armies moreover seized arable lands from other Rohingya village tracts of eastern Rathedaung Township.
The villagers are facing difficulties, as they have no paddy to pay army, so they have to buy paddy from outside to fulfill the demand of armies, said a local youth.
At present, Rohingya villagers are not free from movement restriction in Rathedaung Township. They have to get permission from Village Administration Officer (VAO) after paying Kyat 200 per head and also have to inform to local Nasaka camp to go to market. But all the villagers are not allowed to go to market, only for shopkeepers, said a villager elder on condition of anonymity.

Army arrests over 15 woodcutters in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw,Arakan State: More than 15 Rohingya woodcutters were arrested by a group of military on December 25, evening, said a villager.
"A group of military accompanied by some Rakhine youths arrested the Rohingya woodcutter while they were returning their home after collecting firewood."
A woodcutter said that some woodcutters from Khonzabill and Udaung village went to forest for collecting firewood on December 25, morning at about 8:00am. Of them, two are identified as Islam 50, of Udaung village and  Hashim, 25, son of Md. Noor hailed from Khonzabil.
On their way, they were arrested by military from the forest in the evening, he more added.
After arrest, they were severely beaten up on the spot. Later, they were brought to the military camp of Sommona.
In the camp, they were also severely tortured after taking off their shirts,sources said.
However, they were released after taking kyat 10,000 to 15,000, said a relative.