Burma’s border security force’s (Nasaka’s) extortion from the Rohingya community in northern Arakan remains unabated, said a local elder on condition of anonymity.

On August 8, at about 2 am, four Nasaka personnel led by Corporal Maung Maung Tin of Butkar Gonanah out-post camp under the Kawar Bill Nasaka Headquarters went to the house of Arab Ullah (37), son of Fazal Ahmed from Kharr Para of Maungdaw Township to arrest him on the allegation that he had crossed the Burma-Bangladesh border. But, the Nasaka failed to arrest him. He is a clothes trader in Maungdaw market. So, the Nasaka asked his family members to send him to the Nasaka camp the next day.

The next day, when the victim Arab Ullah arrived at the Nasaka camp, he was arrested. Later, he was released after paying Kyat 330,000.

Similarly, the same day, a group Nasaka men from Italia (Aytahliyah) Nasaka camp of Maungdaw Township went to the house of Habi Ullah (55), son of Moulvi Yousuf, hailing from Itlia (Aytahliyah) village of Maungdaw Township and arrested him on the allegation that he had a mobile phone. He was severely tortured by the Nasaka but no mobile phone was found. The arrested was a Chairman of a mosque committee, said a businessman from the locality.

The Nasaka group was led by a Sergeant. However, later, he was released after paying Kyat 100,000.

At present, all the village Chairmen of Maungdaw Township have been provided mobile phones by the Nasaka for sending information about what is happening in the village daily. Therefore, some Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairmen have become arrogant and trouble innocent villagers with help from Nasaka. Villagers do not get recommendation letters from VPDC chairmen because they do not attend office regularly. In northern Arakan, villagers are unable to move from one place to another without recommendation letters from the VPDC Chairman, said a trader from the locality.

The Nasaka extorts money from innocent villagers who have money or property, on false and fabricated accusations. There are very few people in northern Arakan who have not been arrested by Nasaka or police or army or Sarapa (Military Intelligence) and had been tortured and money extorted, said a village elder who preferred not to be named.