Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Rohingya community in north Arakan is still having to put up with arbitrary arrests and planned extortion by Burma’s border security force (Nasaka), said a local school teacher on condition of anonymity.
Recently, Nasaka personnel of Nasaka area No.5 of Maungdaw Township, in a planned way arrested three Rohingya in Maungdaw Township on the allegation that they have mobile phones without the knowledge of the authorities.
There is no permission in northern Arakan for having Bangladeshi mobile phones, without permission of the authorities. If anyone is held he/she will be jailed or fined or both, the teacher added.
On May 15, Jani Alam (26), son of Sayed Hussain, from lower Prumar village, Nurul Islam (22), son of Islam Ahmed, belonging to the same village were arrested at around noon while on May 22, Salim Ullah (20), from the same village was also arrested by the Nasaka personnel for having a Bangladeshi mobile phone, said a local trader.
But, the authorities did not find any mobile phone on them. However, the first two arrestees were brought to the Nasaka camp and detained and tortured for two days for confessional statements.
There are many unreported cases of arbitrary arrests and extortion, politically motivated cases, rape cases and disappearing among others in northern Arakan, Burma.
However, Nurul Islam was set free after paying Kyat 350,000 and Jani Alam was released after paying Kyat 500,000, on May 17, said a close friend of the victims.
Besides, Salim Ullah, the third arrestee, was also released on May 23, after paying Kyat 350,000.
The Nasaka deliberately extorts money from the Rohingya villagers without finding any clue of their holding mobile phones. The higher authorities let them extort money from Rohingya villagers in illegal ways; otherwise, the Nasaka will not dare to commit any crime against the Rohingya community, said a local elder.
For the Rohingya community, there is no guarantee of security and a livelihood. Most of the people flee to neighboring countries such as---Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Malaysia--- for these reasons. They are also politically and religiously persecuted by the junta authorities, said a businessman from Maungdaw town.
Villagers are becoming penniless by the day, the businessman added.
