Arakanese Rohingya people are being arrested by Burma’s border security force, Nasaka, on false accusations to extort money. They torture the arrested on allegations that they have Bangladeshi mobile phones without permission, said a local youth in Maungdaw Township on condition of anonymity.
This kind of extortion after arbitrary arrests goes on with impunity in north Arakan under the very noses of the higher authorities. They turn a blind eye, the local youth added.
On January 7, an Arakanese Rohjingya youth Shoffique (18), son of Nazir Ahamed, from Du- Nyaung Bin Gyi village of Maungdaw Township was arrested by Nasaka personnel of camp No.12 of Nasaka area No 7 on allegations that he had a mobile set. No inquiry was made. After arrest, he was taken to the camp and tortured. However, he was released on January 10, after paying Kyat 5,55,000, a close relative of the victim said.
Similarly, 12 other youths were arrested and detained in the Nasaka camp. They were also accused of having mobile sets and having married without permission among other false charges. They were not released because they could not meet Nasaka’s demand. Two of them have already paid Kyat 200,000 each to a Nasaka agent but that money who pocketed it without the knowledge of the Nasaka officer, he added.
Besides, on January 31, another youth Arakanese Rashid Ahmed (26), son of Abdu Zalil from Nurula Para of Maungdaw Township was arrested by Nasaka personnel of the same camp while he was praying (Eshar Namaz) 8:30 pm prayer in his house. At that time, a section of Nasaka went to his house and two of them suddenly put a mask over his head and put a packet of ganja (marijuana) into a cupboard near him and accused him as a peddler of narcotic drugs. He was brought to Nasaka camp and was detained. He is still there. He will be released soon as he has already paid Kyat 2.2 million to the Nasaka, a friend of Rashid said.
A relative of Rashid said, “You can imagine what the Nasaka is doing against the Arakanese Rohingya people to extort money illegally.”
One of the relatives of Shoffique said, “In Maungdaw Township, most of the people are accused of having mobile sets without any proof. They prove it by extracting confessional statements after severe torture like hanging people from the ceiling.
They arrest Arakanese Rohingya people so that they can pay money. The authorities target Arakanese Rohingya youths to extract money. Villagers wake up at night when they hear the barking of dogs because of Nasaka’s arrival, said a village elder.
