Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Naska) extorted money from two small boys in Maungdaw Township on September 22, while they were sleeping at night in their maternal grandfather’s house during the Eid holidays. They were charged with not having a village out pass, said a close relative of the boys.
The victims were identified as Shiffique (5), son of Ali and Jalal (6), son of Korim, from Zola Para (village), of Italia village tract. They went to their maternal grandfather’s village named Holabaga village under the Bakkagona village tract. The two villages are under the Nasaka area No.6 of Maungdaw Township. These two villages are one mile apart, relative added.
A group of Nasaka personnel from Baakkagona Nasaka camp under the Naska Headquarters of Kawarbill, went to the Bakkagona village and arrested the house owner Zalal Hussain (18), son of Shuna Meah for giving permission to the small boys to stay in the house. Shuna Meah is the maternal uncle of the two boys, a local schoolteacher said on condition of anonymity.
At present, the Bakkagona village has no Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairman and member, so the Nasaka along with Nasaka collaborators Fayaz, son of Zalal Ahmed and Shomshu, son of Ula Meah have been riding roughshod in the villages. The two Nasaka collaborators are notorious.
The former-VPDC Chairman Jaffar (25), son of Hafez Ahmed and VPDC member Rashu (40), son of Siddique were dismissed recently from their position because of corruption in a rubber plantation project.
However, the arrested was released the same day after paying Kyat 50,000, the teacher added.
A village elder asked, “What kind of persecution is this? Is it a crime for two small boys to go their relative’s house during the Muslim Festival? The two villages are under one Nasaka area and one mile from each other. Do they need a village out pass?”
Besides, the Nasaka area No. 6 Commander ordered the villagers of his area as of September 11 that about 18 villagers along with VPDC members have to guard the village every night despite the existence of night duty in every Ward in the village, said a local trader requesting not to be named.
