Senior Attorney U Aung Kyaw Nyunt from Maung Taw Township told Mizzima that four cases of robbery have been reported within two months of abolition of the border immigration check-posts in Rakhine State.
“Security has been weakened due to the abolition of border immigration check-posts”, said U Aung Kyaw Nyunt.
The 3 robbery cases occurred in Maung Taw Township and the other one took place in a village from Buthee Taung Township. U Aung Kyaw Nyunt said that none of the culprits have arrested yet.
The border immigration check-posts were abolished on July 12 and replaced with the police force for regional security. The government did not give reasons for abolishing the border immigration check-posts.
“Now there are only 700 security police at the place where 2000 border immigration force had once watched over. Security is weakened. There is hardly any security in the region now. The number of people traveling to and fro the border gate have also decreased”, said U Aung Myint Thein, Chairperson of the Maung Taw Border Wholesale Center.
The border immigration check-posts were operated by a joint force of the military, police, and customs and immigration personnel. It operated in 11 regions with 32 check-post offices. State Police Major Bo Bo Oo was appointed In-charge of border security.
U Zaw Aye Maung, the Rakhine ethnic Minister from Yangon Government’s Committee told media groups that the department was probably abolished because of corruption.
There were also complains from residents that there were illegal entry of foreigners into Rakhine state when the border immigration check-posts were in charge of border security.
