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.

Intolerable Extortion of Money by NaSaKa

Yesterday Saya Oo Zi Tun Sin, General staff of NaSaKa region-2, Kamaung Theit (Fakira Bazar) arrested a 35 years ols Rohingya local oil-seller named Jamal son of Adul Mabud  and aetorted 300,000 Kyats simply because the staff found a container with 40 Kg kerosene at his home with which  the poor Rohingya earns a meager income by selling it to the villagers to look after his six family members.The NaSaKa staffs are well trained on how to extort money from Rohingyas. It is also learned that everyday the said  staff target 2 to 3 Rohingya household and extort a huge amount of money on the pretext of non-permitted house construction although these houses had been built 20 year ago or before the NaSaKa existence.  

Continued Attempt of Banglisation of the Rohingyas Cmmunity by NaSaKa

There are nearly one hundred Rohingya family residents in Ban Do Hla village at near northern Bangladesh – Burma Border under NaSaKa region  No 1 Aung Tha Byie. Of them, at least  30 families had been forcibly Bangalised by the authority with so called computerized operation and took them in a no entry no exit place meanwhile many families fled to other side of the border.

Unnamed Robbers Robbed Rohingyas in Border Area

On Thursday,17^th January, two Rohingya villagers had been attacked and robbed at between 12pm and 1:0am by a number of armed robbers emerged from Burma-Bangladesh Border. Though the nearby NaSaKa regional sub camp-5 (Nayan Chaung) of Region-2 (Kamaung Thit) was screamed out by the crowded villagers for help and armed defense, non got out of the camp to help the villagers, rather three Rohingya elders whose homes had been the object of jewelry and  pecuniary lost, were summoned the following day and forced to be extorted money by the commander of the said camp. The three victims are

1.       Mohhammed  son of Nazir Hussein  from Riyazuddin Para under Thit Tonna Quassoung Village Tract

2.       Ziyaur Rahman son of  [?? ] from Manziri under Nayan Chaung  Village Tract

3.       Iliyas (Ex VPDC Chairman) son of [??] from Manziri under Nayan Chaung Village Tract

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.”