Thatch fields torched in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Natala (New settlers) villagers - -living along the Maungdaw – Alay Thankyaw highway road- torched thatch fields from mountain near the Natala villages and Rohingya villages on February 12,, said a Rohinya - an owner of a thatch field - on condition of anonymity

“A group of Natala villagers -settled by the concerned authorities - went to mountain and torched the thatch fields which were belong to Rohingyas community.”
Mostly thatch fields from mountain are belonging to Gawdhu Sawra,Du Nyaung Pin Gyi ( Dong Khali),  Noapara, Sarcombo and Thayai Gonetan(Knonena para) of Maungdaw south, said a farmer on condition of anonymity
The farmer also said that Rohingya community is facing difficult to cut thatches from the mountain side as all the thatches field are burned down. Some thatches fields are in the mountains side, but the Natala didn’t allow the Rohingya to cut the thatches and disturbing the Rohingya who went to the mountain.
“Rohingya community use the thatches for roofing their homes to protect rain drop in the rainy season.”

Rohingya are illegal immigrants to Burma is false: Two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates

Chittagong, Bangladesh: The Rohingya are illegal immigrants to Burma which stated official of Burma on Rohingya – a Muslim community in Arakan State – is false, the two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates - Jose Ramos-Horta, the Former President of Timor Leste and the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Muhammad Yunus, the Founder and Former Managing Director of Grameen Bank and the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.and Dr. Muhammad Yunus - writing for the Huffington Post.

“There is evidence that the Rohingya have been in present day Myanmar since the 8th century. It is incontrovertible that Muslim communities have existed in Rakhina State since the 15th century, added to by descendants of Bengalis migrating to Arakan (Rakhine) during colonial times.”
The government instituted a new law -1982 Citizen Law- which excluding the Rohingya from the list of the 135 national races (U Ne Win recognized 144 races) recognized by the recent Burmese government, effectively stripping them of their nationality.
Since that time they have been banned from travelling even short distances or from getting married without a permit. When a marriage permit is granted, they must sign a commitment to have no more than two children. No more education for Rohingya youths and no jobs.
“We wish the Rohingya to know that they are not alone. We hope to help share their plight with the world, in the hope and faith and trust that when the world knows of their suffering it will no longer turn its back on their persecution,” wrote the two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates.
“We humbly add our voices to the simple demand of the Rohingya people: that their rights as our fellow human beings be respected, that they be granted the right to live peacefully and without fear in the land of their parents, and without persecution for their ethnicity or their form of worship.”
“We close with an appeal to the Burmese government, must amend the infamous 1982 law, and welcome the Rohingya as full citizens of Burma with all attendant rights.” The statement come out after the Deputy Immigration and Population Minister Kyaw Kyaw Win said “there is no Rohingya ethnic race and denied the existence of the Rohingya ethnic group in Myanmar,” at the House of Representatives in Naypyitaw on February 20, published in a report in the New Light of Myanmar.
“The government has denied the Rohingya as an ethnic identity for decades, branding nearly all Muslims in Arakan State as illegal immigrants as a matter of discriminatory state policy,” said Matthew Smith, a researcher with Human Rights Watch.
“When government ministers deny Rohingya exist, and it is repeated by the office of the President, this encourages more prejudice and violence against Rohingya and all Muslims,” said Mark Farmaner, director at Burma Campaign UK.
“The international community can’t keep turning a blind eye to the fact that with statements like this President Thein Sein’s government is encouraging violence against the Rohingya.”
A government must in the end be judged by how it protects the most vulnerable people in its midst, and its generosity towards the weakest and most powerless. Let not the good work of this government be clouded by the continuing persecution of the Rohingya people.

Two girls ganged raped in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Two Rohingya girls-sisters- were ganged raped by Nasaka (Burma’s border security force) on February 18, at Ludaing village Maungdaw, according to a village Admin from Maungdaw Town on condition of anonymity. 
“The two sisters were raped by a group of Nasaka personnel from Nasaka area No.5, in front of their mother yesterday, at about 10:00 pm in the house while their father was not present in the house.”
The victims were identified as Begum (18), not real name  and Shamima (14), not real name (14), daughters of Ali ( not real name), hailed from Ludaing village of Maungdaw north.
A group of Nasaka personnel from Loungdon out post under Nasaka area number 5, went to the victims’ house to arrest their father –not in the house at that time – on February 18 and taking advantage of his absent, the security personnel forcibly ganged rapped the two sisters in front their mother and tried to attempt to rape the victims’ mother, but failed for her resistance. . However, their mother was severely beaten up by the Nasaka personnel, said a close relative of the victims who denied to be named for the security reason.
While trying to contact the Nasaka official- Loungdon out post- about the rape, but the officer didn’t answer and comment.
The Nasaka personnel also entered other five houses in that village to arrest villagers but  villagers were  ran away from their houses  for fear of arrest by security forces, said  a youth from the village  who preferred not to be named for the security reason.
Rohingya women are not safe in Maungdaw from Burmese security forces. The honor, dignity and life of Rohingya women are threatened. The villagers have been living in panic position since February 10 for the accident of one Rakhine and four Rohingya minor kids killed by unknown miscreants in Nyaung Bin Gyi Ywa Thit (Rakhine village) and Khaza Bill (Sapaikone) village.

Rohingya women defend security forces’ attack in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Two Rohingya women had defended Burmese border security force (Nasaka) and Natala (new settlers) who entered their homes at night, while looting their ornaments on February 14, according to a villager elder from Ngakhura village.

“The Nasaka personnel from Ngakhura outpost under the Nasaka area number 5 with together Natala villagers went to Ngasaku (Naisapru) village at night, entered Rohingyas’ homes to loot valuables while male Rohingyas were out of village for fear of arrest.”
The Nasaka and Natala villagers entered some Rohingya homes where the two Rohingya women had defended while the security force tried to snatch the gold ornaments from their bodies till they become serious wounded. At last, the Nasaka and Natala villagers toke away their ornaments, said a relative of victims.
The Nasaka and Natala looted the houses of; - Alizuhar, Md. Rafique, Nur Hussain, Abdu Goffor, Montaz, Lalu, Abdul, Toyoub, Nurul Amin, Anwar, Abdul Hamid, Abul Kasim, Noor Hakim, Abdul Amin and Anu Meah.
Rohingya males are not staying in their villages for fear of arrest with so called arrest warrant which the security forces are not given the detail to the people. So, the security forces are easy to arrest any Rohingya and to extort money from them with this so called arrest warrant, said a school teacher from Maungdaw.

Nasaka kills 4 villagers in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Four Rohingya villagers who were arrested on February10 were killed in the local Nasaka camp for severe torturing in the camp on February 12 , said a relative of the victims.
“The victims were identified as--- Nazir Hussain (35), Ms Hansoma  Khatun (30), Amir Salim (30), and Nadu (50). They all belong to Ludine village of Loung Don village tract of Maungdaw Township.”
Females were also arrested in the absent of their husbands, sons and brothers in the house. Many Rohingya villagers (not known exact figure) were arrested by security forces-Nasaka and police- from Loung Don village tract of Maungdaw north regarding the killing of one Rakhine man and three others wounded  on February 10, by unknown criminals,  said a local elder on condition of anonymity.
But, the dead bodies were not handed over to their parents or relatives and were buried to unknown place by Nasaka. Hearing the news from a Nasaka aide, the relatives of the victims went to the local Nasaka camp of Nasaka area No.5, but the concerned authority did not show them the dead bodies and said they are present in the camp though they were brutally tortured to death, the elder more added.
Besides, on that day, the Nasaka personnel accompanied by Nasaka Director Col Aung Naing Oo (Rakhine) and a section of soldiers  also went to the Lamba Gona village (nearby Ludine village) under the Nasaka area No.5, at about 12:00 mid-night and arrested other five villagers.
The Nasaka Director stopped at Loung Don Nasaka camp while the Nasaka personnel arrested the villagers. The border security forces want Rohingya villagers in an unstable condition as directed by the local state government authority and Central government, otherwise, they don’t dare to commit any crimes against the Rohingya community as they have the Chain of command, a businessman from Maungdaw north.
The Nasaka and police are also trying to arrest more villagers from ---Khazir Bill, Ludine, Nai Tha Pru, Hati Para, and Pruma village. The authority threatened the villagers to be present in their homes; otherwise they will take stern action against the villagers. As a result, villagers are in panic-stricken position. Villagers are now living in the forest for fear of arrest and torture by the concerned authorities, a trader from the locality said.
Villagers those who were arrested by the  Nasaka and police regarding the incident of February 10  at Nyaung Pyin Gyi Rwa Thit  village of  Loung Don village tract under Maungdaw north are being harshly tortured in the camp. Subsequently, there will be more dead villagers in upcoming days, said a relative of the arrested villagers.
On February 10, at night, a group of unknown armed group with Nasaka uniforms went to the Nyaung Pyin Gyi Ywa Thit (Rakhine village) with   automatic rifles and killed on Rakhine (native of Sittwe) and wounded three other local Rakhines including U Ba Tin. He is a rich man of this village, said a local schoolteacher preferring not to be named.
Maybe, this was done by Nasaka personnel or ALP (Arakan Liberation Party) members to create problem between two communities or to give more pressure to the Rohingya community like the Kyauknimaw village accident last year, the teacher more added.
At this critical situation of Rohingyas, they do not dare to kill Rakhines, They have no arms and ammunition inside Arakan.  Some of the ALP members were arrested with arms inside Arakan by the security forces during the violence of last year. But, the authority let them free later. The ALP members entered Burma from Bangladesh. They have the guns, a local youth said.
Today, every Rohingya has his/her own tragedy concerning their relatives or friends in the unruly Arakan where killing and torturing of Rohingyas, torching of their properties and raping their women and girls. Burmese security forces and some Rakhine extremists have been committing grave crimes against Rohingya minority in every means, the youth continued.
Whenever the security forces enter a Rohingya village, innocent Rohingya villagers run away for their lives everywhere possible. They become preys of security forces.
Rohingyas in northern Maungdaw have been passing days and nights with acute difficulties. Rohingyas women are not safe from Burmese security force---Nasaka, army and police. The honor, dignity and life of Rohingya women are threatened. Frequently, the Nasaka or army accompanied by Natala villagers went to Rohingya villages and extorted money from the villagers after arrest and torturing, according to sources.

No life security of Rohingya people in Arakan

Commentary by Fayas
Repeatedly, ruthless stories on Rohingya people in Arakan under the racist Burma’s security forces are taking since long. There are many tragedies that remain untold. As human beings, regardless of the one’s religion, a human being deserves his/her honor and dignity of being human at the place where he/she is present.
Today, every Rohingya has his/her own tragedy concerning their relatives or friends in the unruly Arakan where killing and torturing of Rohingyas, torching of their properties and raping their women and girls. Burmese security forces and some Rakhine extremists have been committing grave crimes against Rohingya minority in every means.
Whenever the security forces enter a Rohingya village, innocent Rohingya villagers run away for their lives everywhere possible. At least one member from almost every family, especially in Maungdaw south is missing and whereabouts are not known. They become preys of security forces.
Rohingyas in southern Maungdaw have been passing days and nights with acute difficulties for months. Rohingyas women are not safe from Burmese security force---Nasaka, army, Sarapa, police and Hluntin. The honor, dignity and life of Rohingya women are threatened. Frequently, the Nasaka or army accompanied by Natala villagers went to Rohingya villages of Maungdaw south and extorted money from the villagers after arrest and torturing.
After the violence of June 2012, in a hostile incident at Lamba Guna village of Maungdaw south, a father was shot to death as he tried to save his daughter from being assaulted by police. Many villages, especially Bagonna and Nurullah of Maungdaw south, have the tales of such assaults to Rohingya women and girls. The Rohingya women are not safe from Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government. They are the armies with civilian clothes and all the powers are controlled by them in the guise of democratic performance.
On February 12, four Rohingya villagers of Ludine village who were arrested on February10 by Nasaka personnel were killed in the local Nasaka camp because of severe torture.
The victims were identified as--- Nazir Hussain (35), Ms Hansoma  Khatun (30), Amir Salim (30), and Nadu (50). They all belong to Ludine village of Loung Don village tract of Maungdaw Township.
Females were also arrested in the absent of their husbands, sons and brothers in the house. Many Rohingya villagers (not known exact figure) were arrested by security forces from Loung Don village tract of Maungdaw north regarding the killing of one Rakhine man and three others wounded Rakhine men on February 10.
But, the dead bodies were not handed over to their parents or relatives and were buried to unknown place. Hearing the news from a Nasaka aide, the relatives of the victims went to the local Nasaka camp of Nasaka area No.5, but the concerned authority did not show them and said they are present in the camp though they were brutally tortured to death.
Besides, yesterday, the Nasaka personnel accompanied by Nasaka Director Col Aung Naing Oo (Rakhine) and army also went to the Lamba Gona village (nearby Ludine village) under the Nasaka area No.5, at about 12:00 mid-night and arrested other five villagers. The Nasaka Director stopped at Loung Don Nasaka camp while the Nasaka personnel arrested the villagers. The border security forces want Rohingya villagers in an unstable condition as directed by the local state government authority and central government, otherwise, they don’t dare to commit any crimes against the Rohingya community as they have the chain of command. 
The Nasaka and police are also trying to arrest more villagers from ---Khazir Bill, Ludine, Nai Tha Pru, Hati Para, and Pruma village. The authority threatened the villagers to be present in their homes; otherwise they will take stern action against the villagers. As a result, villagers are in panic-stricken position. Villagers are now living in the forest for fear of arrest and torture by the concerned authorities.
Villagers those who were arrested by the  Nasaka and police regarding the incident of February 10  at Nyaung Pyin Gyi Rwa Thit  village of  Loung Don village tract under Maungdaw north are being harshly tortured in the camp. Subsequently, there will be more dead villagers in upcoming days.
On February 10, at night, a group of unknown armed group with Nasaka uniforms went to the Nyaung Pyin Gyi Ywa Thit (Rakhine village) with   automatic rifles and killed on Rakhine (native of Sittwe) and wounded three other local Rakhines including U Ba Tin. He is a rich man of this village. Maybe, this was done by Nasaka personnel or ALP (Arakan Liberation Party) members to create problem between two communities or to give more pressure to the Rohingya community. At this moment (the critical situation for Rohingyas), Rohingyas do not dare to kill Rakhines, They have no arms and ammunition inside Arakan.  Some of the ALP members were arrested with arms inside Arakan by the security forces during the violence of last year. But, the authority let them free later. The ALP members entered Burma from Bangladesh.
Before the incident, a Nasaka Commander of Maungdaw Township asked the Rohingya villagers to be very cautious because of Rakhines’ illegal activities that may cause another event.
In 2004, in Gujarat State of India, 52 Hindu travelers by train were killed by unknown criminals, but it was accused to Muslim people of India. Regarding this, thousands of Muslim people were killed by the Hindu extremists supported by the Minister Modi’s Sate government. However, after 3 to 4 years later, it was proved by the court of India that Muslims were not involved in the killing of Hindu travelers. It was deliberately done by some Hindu extremists to uproot the Muslims from Gujarat. India is a democratic country, so truth was appeared later, but Burma is not a democratic country. 
In the event of Hati Para of Maungdaw north on February 10, four children (aged 3 to 11) were brutally slaughtered by unknown criminals and their mother was also abducted. The children were slaughtered by a knife in a paddy field, about half-mile away from their home. But, the knife was very sharp, said a villager after seeing the cutting marks of their necks. After slaughtering the children in the field, the dead bodies were sent to their home again as previous position. It is a very strange.  
But, yesterday, their mother of four children was recovered in a Banana garden while she was drinking water from a stream, but she was mentally disordered. This Banana garden is only one mile away from her house. On information, police went to the garden and arrested her and brought to Bawli Bazar police camp and forced her to show her knife, which she used to slaughter her children. But, she rejected that she had no knife.
Authorities are trying to get a full confession from her that she had slaughtered her four children. But, she denied. Villagers said that how she could slaughter her four children without any blood staining on her clothes. There was no spot of blood when she was found.  At present, she is at Maungdaw police station.
Yet, it is unfortunate to see the ruling party and opposition NLD’s Suu Kyi having a common view on the issue of Rohingyas.
A four points of President Thein Sein’s regarding the Rohingya issue --- prejudice, education, employments and family planning--- are neither the major factors that caused the violence against the Rohingyas and ensuring displacements nor the solutions to the conflicts. It is a kind of President’s two-faced remark on Rohingya issue.
Rohingya Leaders, politicians and all the concerned quarters have the right and responsibility to immediately respond to stop arbitrary arrests and torture of innocent villagers of Maungdaw north and south. Government tries to destroy all Rohingya villages in Maungdaw.  The most important and necessary options are to immediately taking action on IDPs to rehabilitate them to their own places with the security for life and property and together giving access to UNCHR and AID workers with full security.

Security forces make Rohingya villagers in panic at Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State:  Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) and police make Rohingya villagers in panic after the killed and injured Rakhines of Nyaung Bin Gyi Ywa Thit (Rakhine village) under the village tract of Ngakura of Nasaka area No.5 in Maungdaw south, said a Rohingya leader from Maungdaw Town on condition of anonymity.  
“The Nasaka of Ngakhura Nasaka camp and police of Bawli Bazar (Kyein Chaung) jointly attacked  the Rohingya villages and  arrested Rohingya villagers arbitrarily  from -- Hati Para, Zaydi Pyin,  Nai Tha Pru (Pan Mraung)  and loung Don villages--- of Loung Don village tract of Maugdaw south after one Rakhine killed and three injured in their village at night on February 10.”
On February 12, at about 9am to 11 am, the Nasaka personnel and police arrested five villagers from Hati Para and Pan Mraung villages. They are identified as---Jamal Hussain(53), son of Abdu Salam, Jaker(28), son of Rashid, Rahmat Ali( 32), son of  Hydor Ali, Fori Dullah( 20), son of Lalu Meah, they all belong to Hati Para ( village) and Hla Tin ( alias) Lalu ( 55),  son of Osi Rahman, hailed from Pan Mraung village, said a local businessman who denied to be named. 
Villagers fled to nearby mountain from the villages when they saw the Nasaka personnel and police were approaching to the Hati Para and Pan Mraung villages, otherwise, more villagers can be arrested, the businessman more added.
After the arrest, they were severely tortured and brought to the Nasaka camp where they were detained.  The Hati Para (village) is seven miles away from Yaung Bin Gyi Ywa Thit (Rakhine) village, a close relative of the victim said.
According to local people, another two dead bodies are floating in nearby a small river, but villagers could not identify them, so far.
Since February 10, the Nasaka had already arrested 80 to 107 villagers including females from Loung Don village, said a local elder preferring not to be named.
The situation of the Rohingya villages -- Loung Don village, Hati Para village, Zaydi Pyin village, and Pan Mraung village under the Nasaka area no.5 of Maungdaw Township-- are going to bad to worst at present . Some villagers had already crossed the Burma-Bangladesh border to avoid the arrest and torture of security forces, according to a local trader.
The really fact is that on February 10, at around 1: 00 am, a group of Nasaka went to the Nyaung Bin Gyi Rwa Thit ( Rakhine ) village of Loung Don village tract of Maungdaw north to arrest the Yaba or drug smugglers from the village. Before going there, two Nasaka with full uniform went to the village by two motorbikes to observe the situation.  After that, a group of Nasaka went to the U Ba Tin (53), son of Than Tun Aung house at around 1:00 am, and asked him to open the door.  But, he did not open the door. As a result, the Nasaka fired into the house and killed on Rakhine man who is from Akyab and wounded three other Rakhines including U Ba Tin, according to sources.
However, in the morning, the Nasaka and local Rakhine villagers accused to the Rohingya villagers of Loung Don village over the murder of Rakhine villagers and arrested many Rohingya villagers including women.
At present, the Nasaka accused other neighboring villagers that they had involved in the murder case. So the Rohingya villagers of neighboring villages are facing many difficulties such as arrest and torturing by Nasaka and police, said a youth from the locality.
A village elder said, “How will the Rohingya villagers live in their villages, if the security forces create false and fabricated problems between Rakhine and Rohingya communities.”