Villagers were recently arrested by Nasaka (Burma’s border security force) for watching movies in a commercial video room while school examinations were taking place, according one eye witness who didn’t want their name used.
The Maungdaw Township administration announced that the video rooms were off limits during the State High School (SHS) examination week that started on March 13. But in Maungdaw Township there are only 2 examination centers, and the villagers were arrested miles away from either of these. One is in Maungdaw town and the another is in the northern town of Bawli Bazar.
After being arrested the villagers from Kyauk Hlaga (Darga Para) were taken to the Nasaka outpost in area 6 where they are being detained. According to one of their relatives they have also been tortured.
Two of the arrestees have been identified as Moulana Moggul Ahmed, 35 and Dr. Akram, 32. The other 11 villagers have not yet been identified at the time of press.