Myanmar’s armed forces in different parts of Arakan especially Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships have been increasingly and obviously extorting money from Rohingyas considering it as a means to earn money, according to the local Rohingyas.

It has been learnt that the lower authority has to submit some shares of the money extorted from the innocent Rohingyas to the higher officials.

“Military Security Intelligence known as SaYaPha (စရဖ) and some military personnel arbitrarily arrested an innocent Rohingya in Kyeing Chaung (also called Bawli Bazaar) last Thursday morning as he was going to open his shop in the village’s market. The victim is Izhar Hussein (son of) Abul Nasir from the same village.

The blatant accusation against him was that he has a son working in Malaysia. The group included Captain of the SaYaPha Detachment (တပ္ဆြယ္မွဴး) and his subordinate based in Kyeing Chaung village; and a Lieutenant Army, the subordinate officer of the Tactical Operation Commander (ဗ်ဴဟာမွဴး) and two other sub-lieutenant military based in Taung Pyo sub-township.

They tortured him and released him having extorted Kyat 150,000 around 4:00PM of the day” said an eyewitness declining to be named.

“We have to give some shares of the money we get from you, *Kulars, to the Commander of our Corps in Buthidaung. Similarly, we give some shares to the tactical operation commander in Taung Pyo sub-township and also to some regiment commanders.

So, we do it with their permission and will keep doing it. It’s like our business” the witness continued narrating what the authority said to the people.

“Similarly, the above-mentioned authority broke into the resident of Rahimullah (son of) Amanullah in the same village and arrested him arbitrarily. For his release, they extorted Kyat 300,000 from him” added.

Other recent money extortions by the authority have been reported as following.

“Some Border Guard Police (BGP) from Gawdusara Bridge post, disguised as Islamic Religious Scholars, arrested Abdur Rashid (son of) Khalu, 45, in Gawdusara village as he was his way back home after prayer around 2:00PM on December 12. They extorted Kyat 50,000 and released him around 5:00PM of the day.”

“Some BGP personnel entered from Paung Zarr camp raided nearby village ‘Paung Zarr’ around 11:00AM on December 11. There in the villag, the BGP arbitrarily arrested a Rohingya shopkeeper named Anwar Hussein (son of) Haabi, 22, on the pretext of possession of Bangala phones. The police tortured him and released him after an extortion of money around Kyat 300,000.”

Maungdaw, Arakan – Some Rohingyas from Yey Twin Pyin village of Northern Maungdaw Township in Arakan State were extorted of money by Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) on false accusation of browsing the internet with Bangladeshi mobile phone. On December 19th, Border Guard Police from zone (4), No. (10) Outpost arrested two Rohingyas named Molvi Noor Husson s/o Abu Bakkar (Age 28) and Mohammed Ayub s/o Amir Husson (Age 25) from Yey Twin Pyin village in Northern Maungdaw Township. Both of them were falsely accused of browsing the internet with a Bangladesh mobile phone. They were arrested at 8 pm and later released after being extorted of Kyat 450,000 from each person. Similarly three Rohingyas named Kamal s/o Zakir Ahmed (Age 18), Haroon s/o Hala Bawda (Age 28) and Mufiz s/o Dildar (Age 30) were also arrested for the same accusation. They are still in custody of BGP police. As is common they were tortured at the BGP outpost. The BGP police are demanding Kyat 450,000 from each person for release, according to locals. In Maungdaw district, even the officials, police, military and BGP police are using Bangladesh mobile phones, but the local Rohingyas are forbidden to do so and even though most of the Rohingyas use the SIM from Myanmar Telecom they are still often falsely accused by the authorities as pretext to extort money. Many Rohingyas in Buthidaung and Maungdaw Township are extorted daily basis on this accusation.

Maungdaw, Arakan – A 72 year old Rohingya man was shot by Myanmar military soldier in Pa Din village in Maungdaw Township of Arakan State. 

Three military men from a battalion based in 3rd Mile in Maungdaw Township and seven police from Myanmar Border Guard Police based in Ma Gyi Chaung village entered Pa Din village on Sunday at 2 pm. The three military men were sitting at a shop owned by Nurul Ameen located north of Pa Din village administration office while at the same time seven police were roaming in the village. 

A military man suddenly opened fire on a 72 year old Rohingya man named Husson s/o Miah Husson while he was passing by the shop. The Rohingya man was not breaking any laws or provoking the soldier. According to localsthe military man shot him without any reason. The bullet hit the leg of the man and it passed nearly hitting a 5 year old child. Fortunately the child was safe. 

The military men took the injured Rohingya with their car but it is unknown to the villagers where they have taken him. 

Myanmar military and Border Guard Police (BGP) have been committing many crimes against humanity for many years in Northern Arakan. Although the union government led by President Thein Sein in Naypyidaw is well informed these crimes against humanity continue in Maungdaw district. It is clear that persecution on Rohingyas is state policy as they are complicit and allow it to continue.