Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Maungdaw court in Arakan State Burma yesterday sentenced 13 members of the Myanmar Muslim Organization (MMO) belonging to Maungdaw Township to prison terms ranging from 13 years to 3 months.
The victims have been identified as Nir Ahmed, Abdu Razak, Maulana Obaid, Md. Yakub, Maunla Salay from Zee Bin Khali village, Master Shamshu, a senior assistant teacher of Maungdaw High School, Salim alias Than Tun, the Chairman of the Myanmar Muslim Council, Dr Kamal alias Dr. Hla Myint, Dr. Zahir alias Dr. Zaw Nyint, Akbal from Ward No.2, Safar of Ward No.1, Dil Mohamed, the secretary of MMO from Bomo Para, Noor Kodir son of late master Abdul Khalek who woks in the UNHCR and Ba Maung of ward No.5 of Maungdaw Town.
The MMO members were arrested by Maungdaw police on the accusation that they were planning insurgent activities against the State Peace and Development Council or the military junta. The MMO, however is a legal organization.
They were produced yesterday in Maungdaw court again and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 13 years to 3 months under Act 17/1 and 17/2 for having an illegal office and holding meetings without permission from the concerned authorities.
The MMO Chairman Salim was sentenced to 13 years, Dil Mohamed to eight years and the other eight were jailed for 10 years. But, Dr. Hla Myint, Noor Khodir and Dr. Zaw Nyint, were jailed for three months each. Dr. Myint and Dr. Zaw stayed in police custody for six months before, so the two were released by the court. Noor was taken to the jail to serve two months and 20 days as he had only stayed in police custody for 10 days, according to court sources.
"This is a conspiracy to harass them and to destroy their work for the MMO. They are innocent," said a politician from Maungdaw.
The Myanmar Muslim Council's office was raided by a team comprising the police, Military Intelligence (Sarapa), BSI (Special Investigation Branch) and SB (Special Branch of the police) on March 30, 2008. The team arrested 10 members including a boy who worked in the office. The authorities also arrested two other members on April 1, 2008.
