The bamboo cutter was identified as Ko Maung Sein Tha (30) from Awa Village in Minbya Township.
The incident took place on December 20, 2007 at an army toll gate near Ramaung bridge, when the bamboo cutter was travelling on his raft to Minbya from the deep forest on the Ramaung River.
The witness said that when Ko Maung Sein Tha approached the toll gate on his bamboo raft, some soldiers ordered him to harbour his raft at the jetty to pay the tax. Ko Maung Sein Tha was unable to get his raft to the jetty in time as the current was too strong and his raft was too heavy to steer quickly.
The bamboo cutter was finally able to harbour his raft at the toll gate after 30 minutes, but he was severely beaten by many soldiers with bamboo sticks for taking too long to do so. The Burmese soldiers also seized 6,000 kyat in cash from him.
He was later allowed to continue on his way to Minbya, but Ko Maung Sein Tha was unable to take his raft into town due to heavy injuries he sustained on his body and eyes.
Ko Maung Sein Tha was hospitalized at Minbya Township hospital with severe injuries from the attack.
After a month of treatment, Ko Maung Sein Tha finally recovered, but has completely lost sight in one eye.
Ko Maung Sein Tha's relative attempted to complain of the incident to the higher authorities, but they finally gave up after army officials threatened their lives if they continued with the complaint.
According to residents, such incidents of attacks and harassment are common in Arakan State, with the many soldiers who are stationed there regularly oppressing the local Arakanese people.
