Maungdaw, Arakan State: Arakanese Rohingyas are having difficulty celebrating the holy Ramadan (the fasting month for Muslims) in Maungdaw, as most of the residents have to do sentry on the border near the fence, according to a religious leader from Maungdaw.

The authorities of Maungdaw have ordered only the Arakanese Rohingya to do sentry duty along the fence on the bank of Naf River after robbers killed one person and injured four in six miles (block six) on August 10, said a local resident from Maungdaw.

The authorities have also imposed restrictions on movement at night on the Arakanese Rohingya which will make it difficult for them to perform their religious duty and go to the mosque for praying (Tarabih), the local said.

The Burmese border security force (Nasaka) commander of area number six, Major Kyaw Aung ordered Shweza and Maungni village authorities to send villagers as sentries to prevent entery of robbers from outside (Bangladesh) at the fence on Naf River bank, where most villagers are Arakanese Rohingya, who were unable to perform their religious duty in the holy month of Ramadan, said a village authority member.

Abdul Sttar, (35) from Shweza village said he was unable to perform the religious duty which comes once a year for the Muslim community. The village authority ordered him to watch the border near the fence as a sentry to prevent entry of robbers from outside (Bangladesh) from sunset to dawn.

The fence was set up at the end of last year with forced labour of local residents of Maungdaw, to control smuggling, drug flow through the border and to stop insurgents and robbers into Burma. After the fence, there are no exits and entry points without the authority’s knowledge, so how do outsiders (Bangladeshi robbers) enter and how do they speak fluent Burmese, asked a teacher from Maungdaw.

“There have been more than 30 robberies in Maungdaw Township in three to four months after the fence was completed. Not a single robber was arrested or killed, by security personnel,” the teacher said.

There are many outpost camps of the Nasaka, army and police along the border. So how can the robbers enter and escape without security personnel knowing about it,” asked an elder from Maungdaw.

The security personnel of Maungdaw town, know about the robbers, but, they try to show local people that the robbers are from Bangladesh. The authorities are pushing the Arakanese Rohingya community into a difficult situation in celebrating their holy fasting month of Raman. Some high officials from Napaydaw frequently visit the community where they promise some things verbally to get vote support, which Arakanese Rohingya dream about but, when the officials leave the local authorities ignore what the official said, according to a student from Maungdaw.

Every Muslim in Burma is going to celebrate Ramadan. But, in northern Arakan, the Muslim, Arakanese Rohingyas are facing difficulties celebrating holy Ramadan as per Islamic custom; going to mosques to pray, fasting in the night and breaking the fast (Iftar) after sunset as of August 12 in northern Arakan.

Every year, in northern Arakan, the Arakanese Rohingya celebrate the holy Ramadan, but, this year, the authorities of northern Arakan, especially in Maungdaw, ordered them to stay on the borderline as sentry  at night to prevent entry of robbers and restriction of movement at night.