More lands confiscated in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: More than 150 acres of arable lands were confiscated by the government authority and have provided to the Natala villagers in Maungdaw south recently, said a local farmer on condition of anonymity.

"They confiscated lands had already been grown winter paddy (paddy after paddy) by the farmers when it was seized by the authority. The all seized lands are belonging to Rohingya villagers of Sarcombo and Gudusora villages under the Maungdaw south.”
At present, the Natala villagers are tilling the paddy fields again to grow paddy in the fields after destroying previous cultivation by the Rohingya farmers, said a local farmer.
One of the farmers from Maungdaw rural area said, "We Rohingya farmers grow paddy in the rainy and winter seasons in our areas of Maungdaw south to improve rice production. “We are now more struggling for our family members as the government doesn't allow us to do anything.”
According to different sources, many Rohingyas have been starving from the shortage of food in Arakan State since June last year.
Sources also said, Rakhine community gets donation from different quarters of government, but Rohingya community doesn’t get anything from the government side in northern Arakan.
Since June 2012, Rohingya people have been keeping in their villages and the authority does not give them permission to do anything to support their family members. So they have no jobs and no works for earnings. At this moment, in southern side of Arakan State, Rohingya people get some relief from NGOs, but it is very inadequate.  Meanwhile, the northern side of the Rohingya people did not get any relief, said a local elder who denied to be named.
In this situation, the concerned authorities are killing innocent Rohingya villagers, looting property from villagers and also making arbitrarily arrest and extorting money from villagers by various torturing and threatening. In short, the whole Rohingya community is in dying position. How they will survive in Arakan State in future?, the local elder more added.

Young kid serious injures in motorbike accident

Maungdaw, Arakan State:  A young Rohingya kid critically injured in a motorbike accident on Maungaw- Bawli Bazar road on January 28, in the evening, according to a closed relative of the victim.
“Nuru (9), son of Hasan, hailed from Zambonia (Zinbow  Nyar) village under the Nasaka area No.6 of Maungdaw north is the young Rohingya kid.”
A  Rakhine primary school teacher name unknown drove a speedy motorbike made an accident with young Rohingya kid- Nuru - in front of the local Nasaka area No.6 commander office at about 2:15pm on January 28, while he was crossing the road, the relative more added.
The boy was seriously injured in his back-side, but he is still alive. Seeing the accident, the nearby villagers rushed to the spot and the motorcyclist ran away and entered the local Nasaka commander office, so the Nasaka personnel gave him protection from the villagers, said a local youth from the village.
However, the villagers appraised the matter to the Nasaka officer to get judgment, but the officer asked the villagers to go to their village and take treatment from local quack doctors. The officer also asked the villagers to inform him time to time of the improvement of the injured boy. But, the officer did not tell anything to the Rakhine schoolteacher.
“At least, the expenditure of the treatment must be paid by the Rakhine schoolteacher,“ said a business man from the locality.
A village elder said, “The road is clear at that time as the place is rural area and there is no many cars on the road. It is impossible to make and accident. I have suspicion on this accident.”

Rohingya youth severely tortured in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State:  A Rohingya youth was severely tortured by Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) on January 26, in the evening in Maungdaw north for sending his two elder sisters to their father-in- laws’ houses after visiting their parents’ house, said a close relative of the victim on condition of anonymity. 
“The victim was identified as Abdullah (22), son of Hussain, hailed from Nari Bill village under the Nasaka area No. 6 of Maungdaw north.”
On that day, at around 6:00 pm, Abdullah sent his two elder sisters from Nari Bill village to Kular Bill village within the Nasaka area No.6 after crossing a small river with a small boat. The villages are about 500 yards away from each other. The two elder sisters of Abdullah came to attend a wedding ceremony to their parent’s house. One of them has a young son aged two years. Their fathers-in – law’s houses are at Kular Bill village, said a local elder who denied to be named.  
“But, after crossing the said small river, they met Nasaka personnel of out-post camp of Naska area No.6 while on the way to Kular Bill village where the Nasaka personnel severely tortured Abdullah and even two years boy because of not giving information to them.”
However, he was released after paying Kyat 40,000 to the Nasaka officer, according to another close relative. 
A village leader said, “The readers will foresee how the Rohingya villagers are restricted by the authority.”

Army shoots dead a Rohingya in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Army personnel from Light Infantry Battalion (LIBs) No. 352 – stationed near Bagonenah village – shot on a grazing Rohingya youth on January 28, at about 11:00am, according to an elder from Bagonenah village.

“Mohammed Rafique, 28, son of Abdul Majed hailed from Bagonenah village, is the grazing Rohingya youth.”
Rafique with other Rohingya youths were grazing their cattle in the grazing ground near their village and near a Natala village. On that times, the Rakhines from Natala village with some army personnel entered to grazing ground where the army and Rakhines tried to snatch the cattle of Rohingyas. The grazing Rohingya youths tried to save their cattle and stopped the Army personnel and Rakhine from snatching the cattle, said a village admin office member from Bagonenah.
“But, an Army personnel shot on Rafique who fight with them to save the cattle.”
“The villagers from Bagonenah, rushed to the spot where Rafique was shot after getting the information about the event.”
The villagers took wounded Rafique to the village where family list checking Nasaka group were sitting at village. The Nasaka and villagers rushed to the Maungdaw hospital with Rafique, but, the doctor declared his dead. The dead body of Rafique reached to the village at 3:00pm and his body was buried at village cemetery after Namaz-e- Janaza (funeral pray), said a relative of Rafique.
“It is a deliberate action against the Rohingya community. There is no value of Rohingya people as human being. Why do the armies kill the innocent Rohingya youth? It means the army does not care the Rohingya community.”
In addition, today, at around 2:00 pm, a group army from LIB No. 352 from Nasaka area No. 7 of Maungdaw south took away five buffaloes from grazing ground while Tofile ( 25), son of Abdullah, hailed from Kilai Daung village of under Nasaka area No.7 ,was grazing in the field. The army accompanied by some Natala villagers brought these five buffaloes to their camp and informed to the father of Tofile to exchange the buffaloes with money, a local businessman said on condition of anonymity.
“However, at last, today in the evening, father of Tofile went to the army camp and paid Kyat 270,000 to release the buffaloes.”
President Thein Sein declared that extra security forces were deployed in Arakan State to control the situation. But, its continued harassments against the Rohingya community are increasing day by day, according to a local youth.
“Extra security forces are deployed in Arakan to curb the situation or to increase harassments against the Rohingya people.”
Over 100 armies led by Deputy commander Major Rey Wint Aung of light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 352 has been taking station at Maungdaw south to oppress the Rohingya villagers after the violence between Rakhine and Rohingya communities in June 2012.
The Army personnel and Nasaka (Burma border security force) are harassing – checking ID and village admin officer travel permission and extorting money from every person except Rakhine community - Rohingya community near the Bagonenah village under Maungdaw south while the Rohingyas are going on the high way of Maungdaw- Alaythankyaw at every bridges, said a school teacher from Alaythankyaw.
“The army and Nasaka collect from 50 kyats to 200 kyats per person even he had ID and travel permit, 200 – 500 kyats per Rohingya passenger car only and collecting good fishes from fisherman who are going to market to sell.”

Township administration officer issues new order not to pray in mosques

Maungdaw, Arakan State:  Maungdaw Township Administration Officer – TAO - issued an official writing order not to pray Namaz (five time prayers) in mosques on January 26, according to a religious leader from Maungdaw Town.
“The official order with letterhead was issued to all Local Village Administration Officers – VAOs - in Maungdaw –kept on the wall of building.” 
“Earlier, after violence in June 2012, the concerned authorities of Maungdaw Township barred not to pray five time prayers in mosques nearby Maungdaw Town and Maungdaw south, but, in Maungdaw north, the authority gave permission verbally to pray five times prayer in mosques with less than five people. The authorities concerned also barred not to call Azan (prayer call) by loud speaker.”
Besides, the TAO also ordered to all VAOs in Maungdaw Township to close Basic Arabic schools (Mogtab) for young children said another religious leader from Maungdaw south.
The Rohingya villagers are very disappointed hearing the news. Villagers believe that situation will become stable slowly after the recently clashes between two sister communities. Why the concerned authorities compress the situation of the Rohingya people? , asked a business man from Maungdaw town.
“Earlier, the present quasi-civilian government declared that Burma is a religious free country. But, on the other hand, the authorities encourage Buddhism by building Buddhist monasteries and pagodas across the country. They especially press and oppress the Muslim and Christianity.  Where is the religious freedom?”
In twenty first century, the world becomes a big village, at this moment; Burmese government is still trying to oppress the minorities who are different from Buddhism, said a local elder from Maungdaw north.