At least four ferrymen from the western Burmese border have been arrested by Nasaka forces on suspicion that they helped ferry three Nasaka deserters to Bangladesh in their boats, reports a trader from Maungdaw.

"As far as I know four boatmen in Maungdaw have been arrested so far by Nasaka. Of those, two are Rakhine and two are Muslim youths," the trader said.

All the men are from Shwezar Guna Village in Maungdaw, and they ferry people between Burma and Bangladesh across the Naff River.

Another trader from Maungdaw confirmed the arrest but told Narinjara News over the telephone yesterday that one of the men, U Tun Hla Sein, was freed by Nasaka after two days.

"U Tun Hla Sein was released on bail as he is a member of the USDA.  The other three youths are still being detained at Nasaka headquarters," he said.

Recently three Nasaka men deserted their posts in Kyi Gan Byint headquarters as superior officials had tortured and discriminated against them.  The three are currently sheltered in Bangladesh where they are seeking asylum with
the UNHCR.

A source close to Nasaka said senior officials from Nasaka were angry with the three men for deserting and fleeing to Bangladesh.  Because of that, officials arrested some ferrymen who operate on the Naff River between Burma and Bangladesh despite lack of any evidence that they were involved in taking the Nasaka men to Bangladesh.