Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) released a young shopkeeper from Maungdaw Township today, who was arrested on December 29 after a fire destroyed his business. The man was required to pay a fine of Kyat 500,000, according to a close relative who asked not to be named.
The man was identified as Abu Sayed (25), son of Jamal, who hailed from Naribill West Village, in Nasaka area No. 6, of Maungdaw Township.
Sayed was sleeping soundly in his shop near his house after lighting a candle which caused a fire at about 9:15pm, on December 29th.
A villager saw the fire in the shop while on his way to a nearby home. The man called for assistance and villagers rushed to extinguish the fire and rescue the shopkeeper, a local elder who asked not to be named said.
“Sayed lost Kyat about Kyat 400, 000 in his shop,” a relative said.
A group of Nasaka personnel from an outpost near the village investigated the fire and arrested Sayed, who was detained in their camp.
“Sayed lost his shop and his property and the concerned authority fined him 500,000 kyat, which was more than he lost in his shop,” a friend said.
In other countries, fire victims are supported by local people and the government. But, in Burma, fire victims are arrested and fined for carelessness, a local schoolteacher said.
