Buthidaung, Arakan State: A Rohingya was fined and sentenced to six months in jail because he tried to talk to UN envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana when he visited Buthidaung Town on February 17 to oversee Burma’s progress on human rights, said a relative of the victim on condition of anonymity.

The victim was identified as Kyaw Maung (alias) Nurul Haque (48) from Ward # 2 of Buthidaung Town, Arakan State, Burma.  He is also a co-worker of Nasaka and Milittary Intelligence ( Sarapa) and did many things for the sake of authorities concerned.

He was arrested by police of Buthidaung Town on March 1, at about 9:00 pm from his house on suspicion that he was trying to talk to United Nations human rights envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana while he visited northern Arakan on February 17.

After the arrest, he was brought to police station and tortured there severely. However, later, he was charged with going to Bangladesh without permission from the authorities. A case was filed against him for border crossing and he was sentenced to six months in jail yesterday by Buthidaung court.  He was also fined Kyat 300,000, said a close friend of the victim.

When Quintana visited Buthidaung, he only went to Buthidaung jail and hospital. Four Rohingyas from Buthidaung and four Rohingyas from Maungdaw Township were allowed to meet the UN envoy in the office of the Buthidaung Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC). In the office, the TPDC Chairman of Buthidaung Township and District PDC Chairmen of Maungdaw district and intelligence officers were present. The Rohingya people did not dare reveal the real situation in Arakan for fear of the authorities. But, the UN envoy tactfully asked questions to the Rohingya people.

“It was not easy for the UN envoy to ask anything to Rohingya people because he was surrounded by Burmese intelligence officers,” said a trader from Buthidaung.

However, the Rohingya people in the team were staying at their homes afraid of arrest after the envoy left Buthidaung as if they had made anti-state remarks by mistake to the envoy, though they were yes men of the military regime, said another businessman.   

A day before the UN envoy’s visit to Buthidaung, a Sarapa and a policeman from Buthidaung town were sent to Buthidaung jail in the guise of prisoners to observe the situation of the jail and to monitor, who talked to the envoy against the country when the UN envoy visited the jail, Nasaka aide from the town said.

Quintana's third visit to military-ruled Burma follows the release from almost seven years' detention of Tin Oo, the deputy leader of the pro-democracy party led by Daw  Aung San Suu Kyi.

Quintana met several key officials in the country’s capital, Naypyitaw and members of the opposition. He also visited Rangoon’s notorious Insein prison during his five-day trip.

The UN envoy arrived in Burma on February 15 ahead of the country’s general elections. He came to Burma to oversee the Burma’s progress on human rights.

During his tour, he was barred from meeting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Junta supremo Senior General Than Shwe did not meet him.