The Burmese border security force, locally known as Nasaka has been abolished. The Burmese President U Thien Sein has signed in the mandate on 12 July, said the government source.
The announcement of abolishing of Nasaka with notification no.59/2013 came with the signature of the President. In the notification, U Thein Sein declared that the Border Area Immigration Control Headquarters have been abolished with affect from 12 July, 2013. But the reason behind the decision to abolish the force is yet to be disclosed by the Burmese government.
The Nasaka is a combined organization of the Army, police, custom and immigration departments, which had the responsibility to keep vigil on western border of Burma. The bases of Nasaka were situated in Arakan state, especially in northern part of the State adjacent to Bangladesh.
The primary duty of Nasaka was to scrutinize population, to check family lists & border passes and keeping a watch on the borer security.
All together 1200 personnel were involved with the Nasaka force, which had bases in five Arakan townships namely Maungdaw, Butidaung, Rathidaung, Sittwe and Pauk Taw.
Before 2004, the Nasaka forces had many bases outside Arakan also. Later the authority abolished the Nasaka bases in Burma-China, Burma – India and Burma – Thailand border areas. The decision came soon after the then Burmese Prime Minister Khine Nyunt was dismissed from his post.
There arise wild speculations for the reason behind abolishing Nasaka. U Khing San Aung, former president of ABSDF (Arakan region) told Narinjara over the phone that the Nasaka is identified as a notorious force with the records of human rights violation, corruptions and possessing low quality in regard to an international border outfit.
That may be the reason, the President had decided to abolish the Nasaka force, added the ABSDF leader. Of course, he expects that another special force would be placed in the border areas to guard the frontier.
Most of the local residents in the border areas disliked the Nasaka force for the routine misbehaviour of its staffs towards the common people. That is why, the local residents, mostly from the Muslim community have expressed happiness over the news of abolishing Nasaka force by the President.
