Villagers panic in Maungdaw South
Maungdaw, Arakan State (KPN): Villagers of Maungdaw South are panic-stricken regarding Nasaka’s (Burma’s border security force) harassment as three video-rooms of Natala villagers were burnt down on May 18 night by unknown miscreants, said a local businessman on condition of anonymity.
The villagers are from Nurula Para, Baggona and Gudusara of nearby Maungdaw town. At about 11 pm, three of Natala’s video-room was set on fire by unknown miscreants. They were located in the village under the Nasaka area No. 7 of Maungdaw Township.
The following day, a group of Nasaka personnel went to the spot and took photographs of the burnt video rooms and returned to their camp.
Rohingya villagers said they are frightened of Nasaka’s arrest, torture and extortion on the accusation of setting the video room on fire, the local businessman added.
So far, no one is arrested regarding the incident, but, villagers believe that they will be arrested soon for extortion and unnecessary harassment of the Rohingya villagers to force them to leave their villages such as in Balukhali village on April 22 of Maungdaw Township, said a local trader who declined to be named.
The authorities of Nasaka, army, police, Sarapa (Military Intelligence), TPDC (Township Peace and Development Council) and DPDC (District Peace and Development Council) have been adopting a new tactic recently that is to create problems between Rohingya villagers and the authorities, which lead Rohingya villagers to flee their villages.
It will be similar to the incident in Than Ganet village of Buthidaung Township, and the incident in Balukhali village of Maungdaw Township, said a schoolteacher from the village.
Most of the Natala villagers in Maungdaw Township, don’t like to stay in their remote Natala villages, so they are transferred to Maungdaw-Aley Than Kyaw Road in tents by the road-side with the cooperation of the local Nasaka authorities. Afterward, they set up small market, bars, video rooms and gambling dens. They also run prostitution dens for local youths, said an elderly man from Maungdaw town.
One of the village elders said they wont dare to set fire to Natala villagers’ video rooms because for fear of the authorities. Villagers said that the arson was deliberately done by the authorities to extort money and force villagers to flee.
