Police officer’s transfer after bribing in Maungdaw Town

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Police Sub-Inspector (SI) U Than Tin was transferred recently  to Kyauk Nimaw village tract  of Rambree Township from Maungdaw Town as a position of Officer-in-Charge (OC) after sectarian violence in Maungdaw in  June last year. He again is trying to transfer to Maungdaw after bribing to the higher officer, according to a police aide from Maungdaw Town. 
"However, it is rumored in Maungdaw Town that the police officer U Than Tin will be transferred to Maungdaw again as OC post very soon. According to the law of police, a police officer must stay at least two years in one place. After two years, it has chance to transfer to another place. How can he is able to transfer to Maungdaw again within half a year? It is very strange to the local people of Maungdaw Town.”
The police aide from Maungdaw said that the police officer has bribed Kyat 20 million to the State Police Commissioner of Sittwee (Akyab), the capital of Arakan State.  During the violence in Maungdaw, the police officer U Than Tin earned huge money from Rohingya people after arbitrary arrest and torture. Therefore, he is able to pay huge bribe money to the State police Commissioner.
Earlier, he was a police officer in Sub-Taungbro town under the Maungdaw Township. He was famous as a notorious police officer while he was in Taungbro. Later, he was transferred to Maungdaw Town police station as SI post.  He is the native of Rathedaung Township. Later, he was transferred to Kyauk Ni Maw village tract of Rambree Township from Maungdaw Town, three months ago, according to a trader, close to Police officer U Than Tin.
“During the period of violence in Maungadw Town, he got a lot of money from the Rohingya community. As a result, he wants to transfer again to Maungdaw Town after bribing huge money to his boss.”
Besides, the Officer-in- Charge (OC) U Tin Hla of Maungdaw Town police station was also transferred to Buthidaung Township recently. Before his transfer, the officer had already built a three-storied building at Buthitaung Town. Where, he got this money? He got all this money from Maungdaw Township during the violence in June 2012, said a businessman from Maungdaw Town on condition of anonymity.
Both of U Than Tin and U Tin Hla robbed the Rohingya villagers, looted the valuables from the villagers during the sectarian violence in June last year. They also arbitrarily arrested Rohingya people and released after taking money.
We learnt that, President Thein Sein recently ordered to form an “organizing action committee against corruption” to improve the state of the rule of law, to eradicate corruption, to create good and clean government, to improve political, economic and social welfare reforms. So, we welcomed the positive developments in Burma. However, it’s continuing human rights violations as well as violations of international humanitarian law, said a politician from Maungdaw who denied to be named.
“Therefore, we (town dwellers) urge upon the “Organizing Action Committee against Corruption” to take this bribing matter to transfer into book to take action against the culprits.”

Villager arrested for guest receiving at his house in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State:  A villager was arrested and extorted money by Burma’s border security force ( Nasaka)  for receiving a guest in his house today, said a close relative of the victim. 
“The victim is identified as Sayed Hussain (50), son of Zar Muluk, hailed from Maung Nama village under Nasaka Headquarters (Kawar Bill) of Maungdaw Township.”
Today, at about 2: 00 am, at night, a group of Nasaka from Aung Min Gala Nasaka out-post of Maungdaw north led by Captain Aung Myo Than  went to Maung Nama village accompanied by Village Administration officer Shobbir Ahmed where they entered the victim house to search a guest inside the house, but, they did not find the guest, said another local villager preferring not to be named.
“As a result, the Nasaka captain arrested the house owner Sayed Hussain and  detained in the Nasaka out-post  camp.”
In Arakan State, for Rohingya community, the guest receivers or house owners have to inform to the local Village Administration officer, if the guest stays at night, otherwise, the Nasaka will fine the house owner, said a local schoolteacher.
Today, a guest from nearby village came to Sayed Huaass’s house at about 10:00 am and returned to his home after having food, at around 3:00 pm. But, the Nasaka’s collaborator or informer did not know the guest went back to his home. So, the informer mistakenly informed that one guest came to the victim’s house, according to a local youth.
“The house owner or guest receiver did not need to inform about his guest to the local Admin or Nasaka because the guest did not stay at night.”
However, today, at around 1:00 pm, the arrestee was released after paying Kyat 160,000 to the Nasaka commander, said another close relative of the victim.
A local politician said, “The Nasaka commander knows that the victim does not commit any crime. Why the Nasaka officer extorts such a big amount from the victim. So, it is a deliberate action against the Rohingya community.”
Similarly, Nasaka from Udaung Nasaka-outpost camp arrested a Rohingya who visited his relative’s house – same village, same quarters and near his house- for not informing the concerned authority on January 20, according to an elder from Udaung.
Abdu Rahaman, 25, son of Nur Ahmed hailed from Baringa Dyel  (village) was arrested for visiting his relative’s house and detained in the Udaung out post camp where the Nasaka demand  huge money which was not able to pay by arrestee. So, he was transferred to commanding officer camp of area number 8, according to a village admin office member.

No jobs and business in Rathedaung

Rathedaung, Arakan State: There are no jobs and businesses for the Rohingya community in Rathedaung Townships because of local Rakhine community and concerned authorities don’t give permission to do business and to work for their survival, said a local elder on condition of anonymity.
“The Rohingya community has not been getting permission to work since sectarian violence in June 2012, between Rakhine and Rohingya communities.”
At present, thousands of Rohingyas are facing shortage of food, daily work and businesses where the Rohingya are living in the villages namely--- Thami Hla, Sango Daung, Koi Chang village tracts and other villages under the Rathedaung Township, said a local trader from the locality.
“We are likely living in a big jail in Arakan State, we can’t move from one place to another, so we have been facing many difficulties to feed our family members.”
According to some farmers, most of the farmers couldn’t grow their crops in the said villages in the winter season because of arbitrary harassments by the concerned authorities and Rakhine community. Similarly, they also couldn’t grow paddy in the rainy season last year.
At present, poor people and widows are going door to door for begging, if they don’t beg one day, they will starve. The concerned authorities and Rakhine community push the Rohingya community into beggars.
The villagers did not get any help from any quarter whose houses were not completely destroyed in violence, said a local leader.
Since occurring clashes in June 2012, hundreds of Rohingya Muslims had been killed by the Rakhines and Burma’s security forces. But, thousands of Rohingyas had already been displaced from their own villages as well as many Rohingyas have been languishing in different jails in Arakan state, said a reliable source. “These people are not getting any support from INGOs and UNHCR like other Rakhine community are getting aids from it.”

Facing difficult to cut thatches in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Rohingya community have been facing difficult to cut thatches from the mountain side for fearing of harass by Rakhines – news settler – living near the mountain side, said a farmer on condition of anonymity.

“There are some thatch fields in the mountains side which Rohingya community use for roping their homes to protect rain drop in the rainy season.”
“We are very worry to enter the mountain side for collecting fire woods and thatches ( only within season only)as Natala villagers of Sommona and Udaung – near our villages- don’t allow us to enter the mountain side, according to an owner of a thatch field on condition of anonymity.
“Our thatch fields were blocked by the said Natala villagers after they settled – four year ago - near our villages, but we  managed with them to cut the thatches after giving 5000 to 10,000  to the Natala villagers.”
“If we don’t able to cut thatches in the winter season, we will face so many problems in the rainy season. We are not able to stay inside the home for rain fall.”
According to different sources, after occurring sectarian violence last year, the Rohingya were not allowed to grow paddy by the concerned authority in the rainy season. So, thousands of Rohingya have been facing shortage of food in Arakan State.
Villagers told the Kaladan Press Network (KPN) from Aley Than Kyaw, “We want to withdraw restriction of movement, arbitrary arrest, harassments and we are also seeking permission from the quasi-civilian government to access mountain side to collect firewood and work freely in Arakan State, Burma.

Nasaka commits sexual insults against women and girls in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State:  Burma’s border security force (Nasaka), are looting valuable goods  from the villagers and also committed  sexual insults against Rohingya women and girls when the male villagers ran away from the village  for fear of arbitrary arrest by the Nasaka personnel, said a local elder preferring not to be named.
“A group of Nasaka personnel of Gudusara Bridge check-post of Nasaka area No.7 of Maungdaw Township enters south Gudusara village every night, under the pretext of searching criminals from the village.”
For instance, on January 16, at around 10:00 pm, a group of Nasaka personnel went to the said village and arrested four villagers without any allegation. However, luckily, of them, three villagers escaped by running away from the Nasaka and the remaining one was taken to their camp where he was detained, so far, the elder more added.
When the three arrested villagers out of four were running away from the Nasaka personnel, they fired to the villagers and injured one of them.
Besides, when the villagers ran away from the village in fear of arrest, the Nasaka personnel tried to loot valuables from the houses, and also tried to rape women and girls in the absence of male villagers.  Many women and girls were raped by the Nasaka in the village, but the concerned relatives of the raped victims did not dare to appraise the matter for fear of retaliation by the Nasaka, said one of the relative of the victims.
Regarding this, villagers appraised the event to the concerned higher authorities, but no action is taken against the criminals, he more added.
“If the matte is appraised to the higher authority, the Nasaka personnel who committed crimes will take revenge to the villagers.”
As a result, the Nasaka personnel are encouraged to commit more crimes against the Rohingya community and the Rohingya villagers become disappointed and are also mentally harassed, said a local businessman.
Why Thein Sein government lets them to do such things against the Rohingya community though the President has been getting supports from international community for some changings in the country, said a local schoolmaster.

Army destroys garden for logs to bake bricks in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State:  Army is destroying Rohingyas’ garden to make logs for baking bricks in Maungdaw Township for constructing of an old road which was established by British government during  Second World War-II, said a an elder from the local preferring not to be named. 
“This road is running from north to south of Maungdaw Township. Recently, the government has been constructing this road with the help of bulldozer for mounding and digging the soil for the road.  The army doesn’t take forced labor from the villagers.”
But the army needs logs to bake bricks in the kiln. As a result, the commander of the army went to nearby villages recently and asked them to sell their gardens for cutting logs which were grown by the help of an NGO named CARE--- 5 to 10 years ago. Villagers want to provide them logs for baking bricks from the natural forest, but the commander compelled the villagers to sell their gardens. Therefore, villagers refused to sell their fruit- yielding trees to the commander, said one of the garden owners.
“The villagers had grown--- mango trees, Tarm trees (like mango trees), 81 and 82 trees, orange trees, lemon trees, Zam trees, Kori trees, teak and etc.”
On January 17, twenty acres of mango ( Rin Qay Thi - in Burmese)  garden owned by Molvi Ismail of Kilai Daung village of Maungdaw east was totally cut down by Rakhine villagers into  logs  for baking bricks for road construction though there are plenty of trees nearby mountain, said a villager.
At present, in Kilai Daung village, the concerned authorities are trying to settle 30 Rakhine families which were brought recently to Maungadw from Bangladesh. It is learnt that recently about 200 Rakhine families were brought to Arakan State from Bangladesh, the villager more added.
The village Administration officer of Kilai Daung village is from Rakhine community, so, he is pushing army to harass Rohingya villagers. 
In similar way, there are about 200 acres of garden owned by Gudu Sara villagers, of them 50 acres have been cut down by the Rakhine villagers that were brought to Arakan State from Bangladesh recently, a local businessman said.
A village trader who denied to be named said,” It is a deliberate action against the Rohingya community. There is plenty of wood nearby forest; so it is not need to cut logs from the garden of Rohingyas.”

Who are the Rohingya?

Learn general facts about the Rohingya.

The Rohingya are a Muslim minority group from Burma, which Burma's government insists are from Bangladesh and has refused to recognize as citizens.

Origin:
The Rohingya are Muslims native to the northern Arakan region of Burma, which borders Bangladesh. The name Rohingya is taken from "Rohang" or "Rohan," which was the name used for the Arakan region during the 9th and 10th centuries. According to Rohingya history, the group is descended from 7th century Arab, Mughal, and Bengali merchants who settled in Arakan territory. The Rohingya live alongside the Rakhine, a people descended from Hindus and Mongols who make up the ethnic majority in the region.
Language:
The Rohingya language is known as Rohingyalish and is linguistically similar to the Chittagonian language spoken in the southernmost area of Bangladesh bordering Burma. While the language has been successfully written in scripts including Arabic, Hanafi, Urdu, and Burmese, the modern adaptation uses a script based on the 26 letters of the Roman alphabet with two additional Latin letters.
Recent history:

The Rohingya were promised a separate Muslim state when the British reclaimed Burma from Japanese occupation during World War II as a reward for their loyalty. But instead, only those Rohingya that had collaborated with the British were appointed to official posts within the British-controlled colony. By 1947, the group had formed an army and had approached President Jinnah of newly-formed Pakistan to incorporate northern Arakan into a part of the country that would later form Bangladesh. Experts believe that it was this action that led to eventual problems between the Rohingya and the Burmese government, who saw the group as untrustworthy.
When Burma declared independence in 1948, most Rohingya officials were replaced with Buddhist Arakanis who began to institute policies that many of the Muslim group considered unfair. Since that time, ethnic tensions have divided the two peoples.
Political status:
Prior to 1962 the Rohingya community was recognized as an indigenous ethnic nationality of Burma, with members of the group serving as representatives in the Burmese parliament, as well as ministers, parliamentary secretaries, and other high-ranking government positions. But since Burma’s military junta took control of the country in 1962, the Rohingya have been systematically deprived of their political rights.
The Rohingya were declared “non-nationals” and “foreign residents,” according to a citizenship law established by the regime in 1982, and were denied the right to participate in multiparty elections held in 1990.
The Rohingya have been subjected to large-scale ethnic cleansing following the formation of an independent Burma. Since 1948, nearly 1.5 million Rohingya have been forced to leave their homeland to avoid this persecution. Many members of the group have fled to Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, but others communities can be found in the U.A.E., Thailand, and Malaysia.
Approximately 800,000 Rohingya still live inside Burma, while an estimated 600,000 live in Bangladesh, 250,000 live in Pakistan, and 300,000 live in Saudi Arabia. Around 100,000 other Rohingya make up parts of the population of the U.A.E., Thailand, and Malaysia.