Ground situation of northern Arakan State

August 24, 2012 by kaladanpress

Buthidaung Township:

The house of Mogul Ahmed, hailed from Phoneyu Lake village, under the Nasaka area No. 9 of Buthidaung south was robbed by army on August 19, at about 1:00 pm. The army robbed 50 Ticals of gold and Kyat 20 million after fastening all the family members, said a village elder from the village.
On August 7 and 8 in Kyangdang Village of Buthidaung Township, six girls including women were raped by army. They are identified Mostafa Khatun (35), daughter of  Abdul Hakim, Femani (40), wife of Subhan, Nur Ayesh (18), daughter of Eliyas, Afam (20), wife of Esague, Amina (16), daughter of Rafiqual Kader and Tasnima (19), wife Khaled Hussain. They severely beat up a female named Anzam (35), wife of Sayed Alam as she resisted the army's attempt to rape and made hue and cry, according to a close relative of the victims.

The army, Nasaka, Hluntin and police raped many Rohingya women and girls since the violence was occurred in June 8.

"Taking the advantage of state of emergency and the act 144, the army, Nasaka, police Hluntin raped many Rohingya girls and women.  It is very strange that the state of emergency and the act 144 is only imposed to Rohingya community not to Rakhine community. Therefore, the Mogh freely attacked to Rohingya people with the help of police, Hlutin, Nasaka and army. What kind of emergency and the act 144 is?"

Maungdaw Township:

Yesterday morning, on August 23, a woman and her son were shot dead by the Nasaka. The victims belong to Godosara village of Maungdaw north. At first, the Nasaka shot to a cow owned by said female. So, she went to take her cow, but she was shot to death by the Nasaka. Seeing the event, her son went again to carry her mother, but this time also, Nasaka shot dead her son on the spot. This means, Nasaka killed the Rohingya people like birds after the new Nasaka director Lt Col Maung Maung Oo was appointed at Kawar Bill Nasaka Headquarters of Maungdaw, said a local trader from the village.

On August 22, in the evening, a Rohingya youth was stabbed by a Rakhine mob while he was riding a rickshaw at Maundaw town in front of the police, a youth said from Maungdaw.

Besides, on August 22, in the morning, a Rohingya youth named Sadek (15), son of Nasir Ahmed, hailed from Powet Chang village of Maugdaw township, went to his relative with a carrier of curry, but he was stopped near a Rakhine village by Nasaka accompanied by Rakhine villagers and seized his carrier of curry and sent him to his village again. The Nasaka ate all the curry and thrown his carrier to the paddy field, said a villager from the locality.

"In addition, another young Rohingya boy named Amran (16), son of Abu Kalam, hailed from Powet Chang new village of Maungdaw north was stopped nearby a Rakhine village by Nasaka while he was gong to his relative by riding a bicycle. He was severely beaten up and seized his bicycle."

There is a Rakhine village between Rohingya villages and the Nasaka always stays at the village. Rohingya villagers have to cross the Rakhine village to go to other Rohingya villages. Taking this advantage, the Nasaka arbitrary harasses the Rohingya villagers while crossing the Rakhine village. They are looting—- goods, money and beat the travelers deliberately without finding any fault.

Besides, on August 23, the Natala villagers carried away pillars and other wood from Tha Yae Kone Dan Madrassa. The army provides full security to the Natala villagers, according to villagers.

On August 21, a Rohigya youth was severely beaten up by a group of Rakhine youths on the Shwe Zaar Bridge and leaving him on the bridge, the culprits ran away. It was done in front of the security police. However, a patrol car of Nasaka reached on the spot and picked up the victim and sent to Maungdaw general hospital for treatment, said a close relative of the victim.

The Nasaka personnel of Nasaka area No. 5, seized rice and chili from beggars on August 21 when they were crossing the Kular Bill-Nari Bill bridge. The Nasaka also collects Kyat 500 to 1,000 per head who crosses the bridge. This is the Nasaka out-post of Nasaka camp No. 12 of Nasaka area No.5, said a fisherman from nearby village.

"In similar way, the Nasaka personnel of area No. 6 also collect Kyat from the travelers who cross the Letpu Gong-Nari Bill Bridge of Maungdaw north."

"The travelers who are not able to pay the money are fasten and later send to their camps and forced them to work in the camps. But, they are released before 5:00 pm."

Rohingya people are kept in the house from 5:00pm to 7:00 am by imposing state of emergency and Act 144. Out of these curfew and state of emergency when people get out of the houses for their different purposes, Hluntin, police, army and Moghs arbitrary harass them on the road and elsewhere. Are these Rohingya people not human being? Why do the concerned authorities threaten as like as animals?, a village elder asked.

On August 22, at about 9:30 am, a group of Rakhine women and children with Muslim dress wandering in Maungdaw town by taxis and taking photographs by some civilian authorities to show the international community that the Rohingya people in Maungdaw Township were celebrating Eid-day (Eid festival) happily, said a local businessman.

"But, the authorities ordered to the Rohingya community not to celebrate Eid festival at mosque or Eidgha (big field). So, the Rohingya people were not able to celebrate Eid festival in northern Arakan."

"Besides, Sarapa (Military Intelligence) with two cars went to the north of Maungdaw on Eid-day to take photographs of Eid celebration of Rohingya villages. But, they failed. As result, the Sarapa forcibly took some Rohingya villagers with Muslim dresses and forced them to pray in a mosque and took photographs in various angles. In this way, the Burmese authorities will try to show false documents to the International community that there is no religious discrimination in Burma."

On August 19, the Nasaka personnel of Aung Mingla Nasaka camp of Maung Nama village tract of Nasaka area No. 6 of Maungdaw Township arrested Mohamed Solu (22), son of Amir Ahmed accompanied by six others. All belong to Maung Nama south village of Maungdaw township. They were arrested for driving an elephant herd from paddy field at noon. The paddy field was owned by one villager named Abu. The herd of the elephant destroyed over 5-acer of paddy field on the night, said a local farmer.

"However, the arrestees were released, on that day after paying Kyats 200,000 per head."

"The Nasaka also arrested six others villagers who went to paddy field to join with first group to drive the elephant and were released after paying 100 bamboos per head."

"It is learnt that all the arrestees are accused that they went to attack the Rakhine village."

Rohingya villagers have no rights to protect their paddy field from destroying by elephant. It is clear that what kind of policy that the concerned authorities are using over the Rohingya community, said a politician from Maungdaw.

On August 21, twelve villagers, on August 23, four villagers and on August 24, eight villagers were arrested by Nasaka, police accompanied by Rakhines from the Udaung village of Maungdaw south. After arrest, they were severely tortured and sent to Nasaka camp of area No. 8 and detained, said a local elder.

Since August 22, five groups of Rakhine mobs, in turn, enter the Honsara village, destroying fence, cutting down old trees while the male villagers are absent. They (Rakhines) are holding long swords and enter the village with the help of police and Hluntin. Among the groups, there are at least 12 to 15 people in one group, said a youth from the village.

In similar way, since August 21, the Nasaka, police and Moghs have been arresting the Rohingya villagers. But, on August 24, four villagers from Kanpu village of Maungdaw Township were arrested by Nasaka.

On August 23, two Rohingya villagers were severely beaten up on Shwe Zaar Bridge by the Rakhine villagers of Aung Mingla village, said a town dweller.

Hakim Ali, hailed from Sambala village ( near Balu Khali) of Nasaka area No.3 and Abdu Sharif, the village chairman (village administrator) of Balu Khali under the Nasaka area No. 3 of Maungdaw township were severely tortured by army  for not providing young girls or women for their sexual enjoyment on August 21. They (villagers) were asked by army to provide them 10 girls or women per village, but the said village elders did not comply with their order, said a local elder.

On August 23, at about 11:30 pm, Fokira Bazar was set on fire by some civilian Moghs and 31 shops including 3 big clothes shops .were burned down into ashes. Later, the security force and army went to the spot to see the situation.

On August 22, two dead bodies were found under the bridge of Khayakhali-Maungdaw by local villagers, but these bodies were not identified. People believe that they were killed recently, said a local elder.

On August 22, army destroyed a shop from Ghodora Bazar of Maungdaw Township and took away two goats and some fowls from the village.

On August 23, five villagers per village of Maungdaw north were called to Nasaka headquarters of Kawar Bill of Maungdaw township to train them, how to talk with the inquiry commissions that will come from Rangoon. They are the aides of Nasaka personnel. The villagers are very disappointed; the real report will not be reached to the hands of inquiry commission, said a school teachers.

Rathedaung Township:

Most of the people from Tharapyin, Prynkhon, Kudan Gone, Thami Hla and Sango Daung villages of Rathedaung township have been taking shelter at Don Say Para and Shilkhli villages of Rathedaung west since one month ago as their villages were relocated by security forces and Rakhines. At present, they are facing acute food and shelter crisis. Some of the villagers had already been died of diseases and starvation. No NGOs and rations were reached at the place. So, the villagers requested to the NGOs and donors to help them immediately, otherwise, they will die soon. Villagers are not allowed to go out of their villages, according to a youth from Don Say Para.