Maungdaw, Arakan State: Recently, a Natala (Model) Village Peace and Development Council Chairman extorted money from Rohingya villagers in a nexus with concerned authorities, said a local farmer on condition of anonymity.

On July 20, Thet Naing Tun, the Aung Thaya Natala village Chairman along with a land survey officer Maung Win Naing of Maungdaw Town and a Captain of Nasaka headquarters of Kawar Bill of Maungdaw Township went to Kawar Bill (south) village and met Hamidullah (65), father of Serazul Islam (40) who is in Malaysia. The group asked Hamidullah to pay them Kyat 3 million for his 3 acres of paddy land, which is near Aung Thaya Natala village, or else, it will be seized for a government project, said a close relative of the victim preferring not to be named.

The Natala village Chairman, taking the phone number of Hamidullah’s son Serazul Islam, who is in Malaysia, contacted him and asked him to pay Kyat 3 million for three acres, or else it would be confiscated. So, Serazul Islam sent the money to his father to pay the Natala village chairman.

The Natala village Chairman extorts money from Rohingya farmers with the help of concerned authorities. The Chairman approached the land survey officer because he has the list of arable lands and the Chairman needs the help of the local authority, so he sought the cooperation of the Nasaka officer.

“It is all designed by the Natala Village Chairman who approaches the concerned authorities for implementation,” said a local elder.

Earlier, many arable lands from Rohingya farmers were seized by the authorities for the Natala villagers brought to Arakan north from Burma proper. After the confiscation, some lands are still left with Rohingya farmers, so the Natala village chairman threatens local farmers if they do not comply with his order.    

On the other hand, on July 15, the Natala village Chairman accompanied by the land survey officer took Kyat one million Kyat from Shamshu Alam (35), hailing from Kawar Bill village for his one acre of paddy land,  which is also near the Natala village. On July 14, Abdullah (25), son of Abdu Manan from Paung Zaar of Maungdaw Township was arrested by the Nasaka officer of 3-mile gate of Maungdaw on the allegation that he was involved in human trafficking.  After paying Kyat one million to the Nasaka officer, he was released. These were all planned by the Natala Chairman.  

A local trader said, “The Natala village Chairman is notorious for troubling local villagers with the help of the local authority.”

There is an increase in Natala villages in northern Arakan since 1992, after bringing them from Burma proper. Most of them are drug addicts and poor people, who were living on roadside platforms in Rangoon. Some are long term convicted prisoners, and some are retired army personnel. They are brought to Arakan State for many reasons, said a schoolteacher.