Maungdaw, Arakan State: A number of Nasaka collaborators have been pestering local villagers in Maungdaw Township with the backing of authorities. The harassment of common Rohingya people is increasing by the day and it is becoming unbearable, a local schoolteacher said, on condition of anonymity.
For instance, Khing Maung Than (alias) Abul Alam (45), who hails from Myoma Kayandan village of Maungdaw Township is a close collaborator of the Nasaka of Kyikan Pyin (Kawar Bill). So, he deals with every case in the village and other areas instead of the Nasaka and extorts money from the villagers without any authorization. Some of the money also goes into the Nasaka’s pocket, said a local youth.

His elder brother called Khing Maung Win lives in Rangoon and has good relations with some State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) authorities there. So he introduced some authorities, who were appointed in Maungdaw Township to his younger brother. As a result, the younger brother Abul Alam became a popular collaborator of Nasaka.

On July 29, Khing Maung Than, extorted two million Kyat from Sayed Noor along with six others on allegations that they were involved in human trafficking. They all hailed from Phurwut Chaung village tract of Maungdaw Township, said a local farmer, who is close to Sayed Noor.

Another Nasaka collaborator named Ayas (31), son of Dil Mohamed, who hails from Ashika Para (Paung Zarr) of Maungdaw Township, was arrested by the Nasaka on June 22. He too extorted Kyat two million from his father-in-law on false allegations, but that money was not handed over to the Nasaka authorities. As a result, he is still detained at the Nasaka Headquarters.

Ayas originally was a collaborator of the Nasaka, and he was involved in human trafficking and sending people to Malaysia by boat with the help of concerned authorities.  A year ago, a boat with 53 people was arrested by the Nasaka in the river of Ashika Para (Paung Zarr), while departing for Malaysia. Of them some were released by paying money to the police, and some are still in jail, said a trader from the locality.

According to a village elder, “Nasaka collaborators taking advantage of the concerned authorities, continue to do illegal business and extort money from villagers in illegal ways.”