Maungdaw, Arakan State: A fight between members of Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) and village sentries occurred on the night of January 26th, after the Nasaka officers assaulted the sentries, according to a local trader who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The source said four Nasaka personnel from Mangala (Tharet Oo) camp went to the sentry post in the village to check the men on duty there. While the Nasaka personnel were approaching the post secretly, the sentries stopped them and asked them who they were, which made the Nasaka personnel very angry.
The government officers lined up the 10 sentries and demanded to know why they stopped them. Then, they beat them severely with a stick.
The sentries attacked the Nasaka in self-defence. Three Nasaka personnel were severely beaten up and one escaped. Later, the wounded Nasaka personnel were sent to their camp by local the village administration officer, according to a village elder who asked not to be named.
Nasaka officers have not taken any action against the local village sentries. However, the villagers have not slept at home for fear of arrest since the incident.
A school teacher said, “It is normal for sentries to stop anybody who is approaching to the sentry post at night.”
