An officer of Burma’s border security force, Nasaka, in area No.7 called a meeting with village administrators from Maungdaw south to ask for funds to build a new security camp at Buhamu Para village tract, said a village elder on condition of anonymity.
“The [Nasaka] officer called administrators from each village of Maungdaw south yesterday at about 9am under the Nasaka area No. 7 and said that he wants to build a security camp at Buhamu Para.”
In the meeting, held on September 24, the officer told the village leaders that due to Burma's present security situation, everyone has a duty to protect the country from enemies, said a Nasaka aide.
The officer also ordered the administrators, formerly called village chairmen, to contribute money based on the size of their villages. He said the administrator of Aley Than Kyaw has to pay Kyat 600,000, the admin of Khonza Bill has to pay Kyat 300,000, and the admin of Buhamu Para has to pay Kyat 60,000.
A village elder of Aley Than Kyaw said, “If the officer demands that we pay a huge amount, where we will get the money? We have no jobs here as we are not allowed to move from one village to another, and also a curfew has been imposed. “
A businessman from the village said, “Many Rohingya Muslims have been suffering from starvation because of joblessness and homelessness. The government does not provide us any assistance, it only provides assistance to the Rakhine community.“
Local villagers are urging the government to stop discrimination and persecution against the Rohingya Muslim in Arakan.
