Buthidaung, Arakan State: Recently the incidence of rape by Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) personnel has increased in northern Arakan State, Buthidaung townships, according to sources.

Nasaka personnel use rape as a weapon on the Arakanese Rohingya community while on duty to check family lists of the Rohingya at midnight in the villages. Nasaka personnel are known to rape Arakanese Rohingya women in front of family members, according to a school teacher from Buthidaung.

On April 20, Rahana ( not real name), (30) from Oo Hla Pay village tract of Buthidaung Township, was raped by Nasaka personnel Tun Aye and Poe Cho from Nasaka camp 21  at gunpoint in her house at about 3 am,. She became unconscious after both Nasaka personnel raped her, said a village official.

Her parents wanted to complain to higher authorities of Nasaka but, were unable to for fear of reprisal likes torture, assault among others, said Rahana’s relative.

Beside, another girl Khatun 21, (not real name) was raped by Nasaka personnel Than Tin on April 15 at around 2 am.

Again, on April 18, Hasina 30 (not real name) was raped by Nasaka personnel from the outpost of Oo Hla Pay under camp No. 21 after being arrested on false allegation as she refused to go to the camp. She was kept two days in the camp where five Nasaka personnel raped her. Later, she was sent to her house in a critical condition, said a villager.

A politician from Buthidaung said, in Burma the junta promises the election will be fair and free and the country will become peaceful, but our country is becoming worse with increasing harassment and rapes. The military junta is just fooling the international community. Elections will never ever be free and fair in Burma.