Buthidaung, Arakan State: Major Sein Win, the Commander of Burma’s border security force of Nasaka area No. 9 of Buthidaung Township accused  five innocent villagers of a robbery in a village two months ago and extorted a fat sum of money from them, said  a close relative of the victims.  

A robbery occurred in Kyee Nute Thee village of Buthidaung north, two months ago. The house owner is Abu Taher (45), son of Sultan of Kyee Nute Thee village.

The accused villagers are identified as--- the present village chairman of Tinmay village tract Noor Amin (35), son of Kalu, from Tinmay village of Buthidaung township, Noor Alam (50), son of Jaker Hussain, from Panze village, Abul Hussain (45), son of Abdul Hakim, from Tinmay village, Abdul Gaffer (50), son of Sani Luddin, from Tinmay village, and Abdu Khalek (55), son of Abdul Habi of Tinmay village.

They were summoned to Nasaka area No.9 through the Nasaka personnel of outpost camp No.23 of upper Kyaung Daung on August 2 and detained on the allegation that they were involved in a robbery which occurred at the house of Abu Taher.

Local villagers said, the detained five villagers are wealthy and innocent. They had no knowledge of the robbery. The Kyee Nute Thee village is far away from Tinmay and Panze villages. The Nasaka wanted to extort money from them so they were charged and arrested.

However, they were released after paying money on August 3. Kalu paid Kyat 1.9 million, Noor Alam paid Kyat 2 million, Abul Hashim paid Kyat 700,000, Abdul Gaffer paid Kyat 500,000 and Abdu Khalek paid Kyat 500,000. So, the Nasaka Commander extorted Kyat 5.6 million.

“In this manner the Rohingya villagers are forced into poverty by the authorities. It is a tactic of the Burmese junta to make the minority penniless, especially the Rohingya community,” said a local elder who did not want to be named.   

In northern Arakan, the Rohingya community is regularly arrested, tortured and are victims of extortion on false and fabricated cases.  

Villagers are surprised that even the current Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) chairman is not excluded from the robbery allegation.