Maungdaw residents face increasing harassment from Border Security Force

Saturday, 01 January 2011

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The residents of Maungdaw are facing an increase in harassment and extortion by agents of the Border Security Force (Nasaka), reports a local businessman on condition of anonymity, while a politician from Maungdaw pointed out that the Rohingya community is facing the most severe forms of intimidation.

For instance, on December 30, Mohammed Baser, 35, who hails from Maung Nama South Village, was arrested and then severely tortured by Nasaka personnel from Aung Mingala Nasaka outpost camp over the allegation that he was the friend of a local youth who was sentenced to jail three years ago for having an affair with a local girl.

The arrestee was released after paying 125,000 kyat to the Nasaka authorities later that day. The money was taken by Captain Zaw Myint, the assistant of Nasaka Director Lt. Col Aung Gyi at Kyikanpyin (Kawar Bill). Although the victim was arrested by officers from the Aung Mingala Nasaka outpost camp, Captain Zaw Myint likely received the money as he has power over the Nasaka outpost camp.

A relative of the victim said, “The youth who had the love affair with the girl has already been in jail for three years. It is not a crime to have been a friend of his. This was a deliberate action against a member of the Rohingya community to remind the Rohingya people that they [the Nasaka] have the might to do anything against the people. They want the Rohingya people to be demoralized.”

In another instance, two brothers from Maung Nama Gyi village named Ismail and Idris, the sons of Mohabad Ali, were arrested by the same Nasaka officers on December 29 over the allegation that they had married without receiving permission from the concerned authorities. The brothers married their respective wives several years ago after getting the required permission. During the arrest, the two told the officers that they did in fact have permission. They presented their documents, but the Nasaka did not accept the papers and accused them of having been married illegally.

The brothers were released from custody on 30 December after paying the authorities 200,000 kyat.

A local schoolteacher asked, “Can you imagine the kind of crimes the Nasaka commit against the Rohingya community? They treat Rohingyas as if they are not even human beings.”

In yet another recent case, two brothers, Mohamed Rofique (20) and Hassan (12), from Nari Bill Village of Maungdaw Township, were arrested by Nasaka officers from the Naribill Nasaka outpost camp on 30 December while they were on their way home with a log they had purchased from Amina Bazaar Market. Following the arrest, they were brought to the Nasaka camp and detained with their legs in a wooden box. The younger brother was severely beaten by the officers, said a local trader said who declined to be named.

“Why did they choose to harm a minor boy who is only 12 years old?”, asked a relative of the victim. The two brothers were released on December 31 after family members paid 20,000 kyat to the Nasaka.

Another local elder said, “It is not illegal to buy a log from the market. If the Nasaka wants to arrest the person who has committed the crime, they should have arrested the seller of the log. But the Nasaka feel they can do anything against the Rohingya community. They are above the law.”

“The out-going year of 2010 saw Rohingyas face an increase in abuse from the authorities across northern Arakan State. We hope that the harassments against the Rohingya community will be reduced in the new year,” said a local elder who asked not to be named.

Source: Kaladan Press Network.
Link: http://www.kaladanpress.org/v3/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2970:maungdaw-residents-face-increasing-harassment-from-border-security-force.