The Voice Of Rohingya

Mangdaw, Arakan State: The Muslims minority was denied the right to identify themselves as” Rohinggyas” in so-called population data collection in northern Arakan, which was  conducted  since March 30 to April 10 and then from August to till now,  said Rahim( not real name) from the locality.   The census has been conducting with the help of the UN population Fund. The government claims they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and calls them “Bengalis” though they have been living there thousand years ago.

Yesterday, on August 29, at about 8:00 pm, a group of BGP (Border Guard Police), army along with immigration officers went to Wabeg village of Pawet Chaung village tract of Maungdaw Township and tried to get so-called population data from the villagers. But, the villagers strongly refused to take part in the population data collection as the local authority tried to write” Bengali” in place of “ Rohingya” in the Form, a local leader from the village said on condition of anonymity.

As a result, some of the villagers including females and males were arrested and were brought to the police camp and put in the stocks (wooden boxes) and coerced them to take part in census. So, the villagers took part in census in fear of more torture. Then the authorities ordered to village elder to bring family lists of arrestees from homes and the authority conducted so-called population data collection by written “Bengali” instead of “Rohingyas,” the leader more added.

Some of the arrestees were identified as—Ms Amina Khatoon (32), wife Abdu Gaffar;  Ms Rahima Khatun (40), wife of Hamid Hussain; Ms Hasina (27), wife of Islam; Ms Minara Begum (17) daughter of Hasu; Fazal Karim (70), son of Abdu Salam; two brothers—  Ali Akbar(50) and Ali Hussain(40),  son of Abdu Shukur;  Nurul Amin (25), son of Jalal Ahmed; Anock (30), son of Serazul Islam and Ziabul Hussain (35), son of Gura Meah, said one of the arrestees’ close relative preferring not to be named.

In this way, the rest of the villagers were called to their (police) camp and took list of the villagers. This village has 125 family lists, the relative added.

Above and beyond, today, a group of military, police and immigration went to Balu Khali (Thay Chaung) village of Powet Chaung village tract of Maungdaw north. Seeing the group, some of the villagers ran away to the forest nearby, to avoid harassment by police and army and also they don’t willing to participate in census, a local elder from the village said.

However, the group forcibly took away the so-call population data from the villagers whom they met in the village. Villagers did not dare to face with the police and army because of frequent attacks by them. Now, the females are living in the forest and the males are seeing their homes, a trader from the village said, who denied to be named.

The Voice of Rohingya

Mangdaw, Arakan State: The Muslims minority was denied the right to identify themselves as” Rohinggyas” in so-called population data collection in northern Arakan, which was  conducted  since March 30 to April 10 and then from August to till now,  said Rahim( not real name) from the locality.   The census has been conducting with the help of the UN population Fund. The government claims they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and calls them “Bengalis” though they have been living there thousand years ago.

Yesterday, on August 29, at about 8:00 pm, a group of BGP (Border Guard Police), army along with immigration officers went to Wabeg village of Pawet Chaung village tract of Maungdaw Township and tried to get so-called population data from the villagers. But, the villagers strongly refused to take part in the population data collection as the local authority tried to write” Bengali” in place of “ Rohingya” in the Form, a local leader from the village said on condition of anonymity.

As a result, some of the villagers including females and males were arrested and were brought to the police camp and put in the stocks (wooden boxes) and coerced them to take part in census. So, the villagers took part in census in fear of more torture. Then the authorities ordered to village elder to bring family lists of arrestees from homes and the authority conducted so-called population data collection by written “Bengali” instead of “Rohingyas,” the leader more added.

Some of the arrestees were identified as—Ms Amina Khatoon (32), wife Abdu Gaffar;  Ms Rahima Khatun (40), wife of Hamid Hussain; Ms Hasina (27), wife of Islam; Ms Minara Begum (17) daughter of Hasu; Fazal Karim (70), son of Abdu Salam; two brothers—  Ali Akbar(50) and Ali Hussain(40),  son of Abdu Shukur;  Nurul Amin (25), son of Jalal Ahmed; Anock (30), son of Serazul Islam and Ziabul Hussain (35), son of Gura Meah, said one of the arrestees’ close relative preferring not to be named.

In this way, the rest of the villagers were called to their (police) camp and took list of the villagers. This village has 125 family lists, the relative added.

Above and beyond, today, a group of military, police and immigration went to Balu Khali (Thay Chaung) village of Powet Chaung village tract of Maungdaw north. Seeing the group, some of the villagers ran away to the forest nearby, to avoid harassment by police and army and also they don’t willing to participate in census, a local elder from the village said.

However, the group forcibly took away the so-call population data from the villagers whom they met in the village. Villagers did not dare to face with the police and army because of frequent attacks by them. Now, the females are living in the forest and the males are seeing their homes, a trader from the village said, who denied to be named.

More Army Battalions in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Burmese government setup more Army Battalions in Maungdaw since the authority started the population of census in Maungdaw, Anwer, a politician from Maungdaw.

The Army Battalions setup in the areas of Maungdaw are;- Waythali  Natala village (3 miles), Myothugyi village, Myoma Kayoungdan High School compound, Myinn Hlut in Maungdaw south and Nga Kurah in Maungdaw north, the politician said.

“Each of the battalion station has 300-400 army personnel and they were well equipped.”
The Army Battalions are suddenly setup in Maungdaw and the local peoples – especially Rohingya community – become surprised and worried for more Human Rights violation in the areas, said Halim, a Human Rights Watchdog from Maungdaw.

The Battalions setup is good for Maungdaw local peoples, but the Rohingya will suffer more while the Army move from one place to another. The villagers must be faced to supply ration for them and females will face more difficult like other areas of Burma, raped by army personnel, Halim said.

“Human Rights violations will increase more while the Army moving for their routine of their operations.”

The Battalions is not for only census process security, but also the government may keep this battalion for long till government satisfied the areas safe, Halim said.

In Maungdaw district, Army personnel from Myoma Khayoungdan  High School compound, arrested 4 – Rakhine with firearms from Ward number 4, Maungdaw on April 3 at midnight, but the Rakhine were released on April 6 without any trial, said Bulu, a Teacher from Maungdaw.

Similarly, Army personnel from border police force area number 5, arrested 6 Rakhine with firearms in Mayu Mountain range on April 6 morning, when local firewood collectors saw 25 Rakhines with arms in the mountain. But, the arrested Rakhine were released after Phurwut Change village recommend that the Rakhines are from his village who went to mountain for searching frogs, Bulu said.

The reinforcement of Army are stationed in Maungdaw is for Rohingya community, not for Rakhine who are holding arms. The Army will harass the Rohingya community with allegation of Rohingya insurgents enter into Maungdaw, Bulu more added.

On the other hand, the Army station in Nyoung Chaung village, under Buthidaung, gang raped a 40 year Rohingya female for not getting her husband when the army personnel went to his home on April 6, at midnight, said Hasu, a trader from Buthidaung.

Truck crashes a Rohingya’s cow in Maungdaw north

Maungdaw, Arakan State: A truck drove and owned by Rakhine crashed a cow owned by Rohingya on April 6, at about 4:00pm, at   Thay Chaung Village under Maungdaw north while crossing the road, said Hakim from the locality.

“The legs of the cow were broken, but the owner got life of the cow. However, the truck driver Maung Maung( Rakhine), son of Maung Chey from Powet Chaung Natala village of Maungdaw Township ran away from the scene after the incident.”

A villager from the locality who saw the accident, said. “It is a deliberate attack to the cow as there is no car and any jam or roadblock on the road to occur such accident.” 

The cow owner is Sidique Ahmed (65), son of Abdu Shukur, hailed from Thay Chaung ( Balu Khali) village under the Pawet Chaung village tract of Maungdaw Township, said a relative of the cow owner. 

Regarding the matter, the owner accompanied by some leaders from the village went to the local concerned police camp and appraised the event, but till now, there is no action against the culprit, the relative more added.

Rakhine local people or authorities always want to disturb to Rohingya community to flee Arakan, said a local farmer on condition of anonymity. 

Rakhine community wants to create problems, apparently relation to anger over the census methodology. The Rakhines and the government oppose to call and identify themselves as “Rohingya“ to Muslim group who are living in the areas and refer them as “Bengalis” which mean the Muslim group are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, said a Rohingya politician from Maungdaw.

Enumerators or census collectors went to some households in Maungdaw Township, but they did not register any household that identified as Rohingyas, he added.

A villager said, “On April 2, some census officials came to our village, we, the community leaders told them, if you don’t allow us to fill in Rohingya, we will not join the census, which mean we are boycotted the census process.  But, they did not allow us to fill Rohingya in the race column.”

Many Rakhines fear, Government’s recognition of the Rohingya population would precede an eventual shift in Arakan State’s demographics that would threaten, said a businessman from Buthidaung 

Nameless Graves Mark the End of Tortured Existence for Rohingya in Thailand

PHUKET: Five boatpeople, victims of Thailand's traffickers, were buried in a Songkhla village yesterday while others continue to suffer disease and cramped conditions in secret jungle ''animal pens'' or official confinement.

Local Muslim authorities say that deaths from diseases and severe conditions are likely to continue until Thailand's government recognises that thousands of Rohingya, being smuggled through Thailand, should be accorded basic human rights.

''The men we buried today were aged 16 to 40,'' said Isma-Aen Mat-Adam, of the Rohingya Help Network in Thailand. ''All of them died after being 'rescued' from the secret jungle traffickers' camps. Hospitals could not save them

''These deaths show how bad the conditions are in the jungle camps and in Thailand's detention centres.''

The men had been confined by Thai authorities and by traffickers in a serial rights abuse since January last year.

In the hospital, where doctors and nurses tried to save the men from the ravages caused by constant cramped confinement at the hands of Thai officials and traffickers, the nameless dead men were recorded on official documents as ''Rohingya One,'' ''Rohingya Two,'' ''Rohingya Three'' . . .

The first man died on January 30. Another perished on February 1. The third death followed on February 2. Two more came on February 4 . . . it's likely their family and friends are among more than 700 Rohingya still being held in southern Thailand.

The boatpeople were ''rescued'' by Thai authorities late last month from two secret jungle camps, little more than animal pens with earthen floors and no room for the captives to stretch or stand.

Twenty-four men who were unable to walk were left after the ''rescue'' to fend for themselves in the jungle at one corral site, said the Chairman of the Muslim Committee of Songkhla province, Sakkeeya Binsala.

For many, it was the second time in the traffickers' camps, having been previously ''rescued'' in January last year then confined for all the intervening months in cramped Immigration or police cells before being ''deported'' into the arms of waiting traffickers.

And around they go again, seeking sanctuary in Malaysia . . . but finding only a kind of hell in Thailand.

Wrapped in white shrouds and buried by local residents, the five fresh anonymous graves at the village near Sadao now bear silent witness to the fate of the stateless in Thailand.

A final resting place ends long and cruel treatment for five Rohingya

Deputy Judge extorts money through law in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The deputy Judge is extorting money from Rohingya who faced trial in Maungdaw Judge Court, said Halim, Human Rights Watchdog from Maungdaw.

U Than Htun Oo, the deputy judge of Maungdaw judge court used his power in trials to extort money from Rohingya who case was hearing under his supervise, starting 500,000 kyat to 1000,000 kyat depended on the person, the watchdog said.
U Than Htun Oo used his power when a case was able to bill or dismiss – release temporarily (by a court of law) and unconditionally release- but he used the law to extort money from person, saying he will send him to jail and sends his assistant to negotiate for demand money to release, said Anno, a victim of the Judge.
The judge also issued trial date very near which harmed the people didn’t able to prepare for next date trial and asking money  for day long time,  Anno, more said.
Recently, the judge extorted 1000,000 kyat from Kiasar, a youth from Shwe Zarr village tract for quarrel case –Act 324, said a relative of Kiasar.
The judge is taking advantage recent situation  where the Law and order was not favor  to Rohingya community in Maungdaw and no one take any action against him for his misusing of law and power, said an elder from Maungdaw.
The Maungdaw high level officers – U Aung Myint Soe, the district admin officer and U Kyi San, the Township admin officer- are also using their power to harass and ill treatment the Rohingya community under their post, the elder added.