32 Rohingyas who were hiding under bamboo matting on a car were arrested in Bago Region, locals said.
Dozens of Rohingyas were caught near Gway Chaung village in Thin Taw Yoe village tract of Thayarwaddy Township in western Bago Region, local sources explained.
A 35-year-old man close to the Rohingya refugees commented, “The route was commonly used in the past. They paid money If they got caught they could negotiate their release. I can’t tell why they were arrested this time, because the broker wasn’t with them or they didn’t pay.
When they (the authorities) saw the car, they didn’t even check other cars, and immediately pulled up the bamboo flooring and searched. If the broker was with them, they could have gotten away by negotiating a payment. But when they were the only ones who came, and couldn’t speak the language, as well as the driver couldn’t handle the situation smartly, so they ended up being arrested”, a 35-year-old man close to the Rohingya refugees said.
A blue Sino Faw 6-wheel car driving along the Yangon-Pyay Road was stopped by Military Council troops near Gway Chaung village around noon on February 21st.
28 Rohingya men, 4 women, who were hiding under the bamboo matting of the car, and the driver were found and a total of 33 people were arrested.
The arrested Rohingyas were made to sit on their knees and put their hands on their heads, and the driver was also beaten, eventually all of them were put in a prisoner transport vehicle and taken to Thonse Township Police Station, witnesses said.
The arrested Rohingyas intended to go to Thailand through the Myawaddy border and from there to Malaysia, a person close to them said.
“In the past, the refugee camps had enough food and aid for them to live on. Now their support from NGOs is less and less. Grant applications are becoming harder. That is why many of them have gone illegally to Malaysia to find work”, the person said.
On February 19th, the Military Council arrested 40 Rohingyas near Wae Kali village in Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State. The number of Rohingyas arrested nationwide has surged to 131 in this month alone.
Major General Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson of the Military Council, told the media on February 20th that they are ready to implement the repatriation of Rohingyas in Bangladesh camps, in accordance with the agreement between the two countries.
In practice, the words of the Military Council are not credible, as even the Rohingyas in Myanmar are arrested and oppressed, and people helping the Rohingyas continue to be harassed.
