Mrauk-U, Arakan State: Three religious students were jailed on November 4, 2011. They were arrested while traveling to their hometowns from Kyauktaw where they had been studying at a madrasa (religious school), according to a Muslim Liberation Organization of Burma (MLOB) statement.
The three were Md. Haleb (32), son of Ibrahim and Alam Gir (18), son of Md. Nasir, both from Kongbaung village in Mrauk-U and Noor Shofi (18), son of Abdu Salam, from Setkya village section of Minbya Township.”
The three first went to Kyauktaw town in 2010 for religious study. After the madrasa closed, they returned to their homes by steamer during June 2011. However, a Mrauk-U immigration officer arrested the three for illegal movement. Afterwards they were taken to the police station.
“The three were tried in court, and each was sentenced to two and half years’ imprisonment on November 4”, a relative of one of the victims said from Sittwe (Akyab), who declined to be named.
One was sent to Sittwe (Akyab) jail and the two other were sent to Rangoon, according to the MLBO statement.
The Arakanese Muslim community is concerned by the continuous persecution in against the Muslims, which continues even under the President Thein Sein’s new civilian government, U Kyaw Hla, the MLOB chairman explained.
The MLOB appeals to the international community, represented by ASEAN, the UN, the Organization of the Islamic conference, and all democratic countries to help stop this persecution of the minority Muslims in Arakan.
