Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh: More Rohingyas, including women and children were arrested by police and handed over to the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR). They were pushed back to Burma by BDR yesterday night, according to our correspondent.
Yesterday night, 56 Rohingyas were pushed back to Burma by the BDR from Sacc Dalar border points. They were arrested from Bandarban Hill Tract, especially from Roma, Alikodom, Lama and Rohanchari, he added.
The arrested have been living in these areas for over 5 to 10 years, one of the relatives of the arrested said.
The BDR took the arrested Rohingyas to the Bangladesh-Burma border by vehicles and set them free on the zero line. Some Rohingyas re-entered Bangladesh and some were arrested by Nasaka (Burma’s border security force) and the Burmese Army. Those arrested by Nasaka or army have been sent to jail.
On November 2, nine (all male) of the 26 Rohingyas were arrested by Nasaka after they had been pushed back by BDR from Ghoondon point, on the Bangladesh-Burma border. The fate of the arrested by Nasaka is still not known, said one of the refugees who had been pushed back by BDR.
Besides, on September 25, fourteen Rohingyas were pushed back to Burma by BDR. Of them 11 including women and children were arrested by the Burmese Army and later they were sent to Buthidaung jail, said a local on the border, who declined to be named.
They crossed the Burma-Bangladesh border because of persecution by the Burmese authorities such as--- the Army, Nasaka (Burma’s border security force), Military Intelligence (Sarapa) and police, according to sources.
It is learnt that two girls among the arrested have been missing from the border since October 3, but there is no confirmation, said a refugee from an undisclosed location.
The Bangladesh government is increasingly pushing back Rohingya people to Burma to stop infiltration to Bangladesh. But, Rohingya people are still coming though the BDR has been watching the border areas and are on red alert. Rohingya people are a burden for the Bangladesh government, said a local elder from the border area.
Described by UN officials as one of the most persecuted minorities on earth, the Rohingya are not even recognized as citizens by the Myanmar junta. They have no legal right to own land and are forbidden from marrying or traveling without permission, said AFP recently.
Bangladesh says it is unable to handle the continued influx of Rohingyas and the spread of the unofficial camp has escalated local tension.
Despite the squalor and alienation, many Rohingya still feel they are better off in Bangladesh than back in Burma. Here, at this camp there are days when they don’t have any food. But, at least they can live freely. In Burma, Rohingyas live a dog's life. The junta does not even allow Rohingyas to wear clean shirts or travel outside their village, said a refugee from the unofficial Kutupalong camp.
