Security Force Extort Money from Rohingyas under Different Pretexts

By CR MYARF

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Maungdaw, Arakan state- Security Force (HlunHteins) extorts money from Rohingyas as they pass through different check-posts at various high ways in Maungdaw. Besides, they extort money from local Rohingyas under other various pretexts.

1-     “There is a Security Force check-post in Maungdaw High Ways after every five miles. Every Rohingya needs to take not only his identity card (temporary registration card issued to Rohingyas) but also a travel-pass from village administrator with them every time he/she travels. (And travel costs Kyat 500- Kyat 1,000.)

If someone accidentally fails to take either of the documents, Security Force at different check-posts deters him/her from travelling further. If he/she needs to travel further, he/she must pay Kyat 500- Kyat 1,000.

For instance, on 27^th April 2014, Mv Shafiqur Rahman (son of) Noor Mohammed hails from the village of Kwa-Soon in Southern Maungdaw Township was travelling to the downtown of Maungdaw together with his friends. When they arrived at Security Force Check-Post in the village of Kyauk-Pandu, the Security Force stopped their motorcycles. The Security Force demanded Kyat 1,000 from Mv Shafiqur Rahman as he just had his travel pass, not his identity card. When Shafiqur Rahman asked why he had to give money to them, the Security Force started scolding and trying to beat him up. So, he had to money to pass through the check-post. Similar, he had to pay money at the Zawmadat (Laambaguna) check post as well.

On top of that, they frequently harass Rohingya women as they go through their check-posts” said Rohingya, a local of Maungdaw.

2-     “Security Force at the village of Thinbaw-Kway in southern Maungdaw forcibly collected two bundles of thatches from each Rohingya household in the village under the pretext of covering roof of the camp of the security force. They (the thatches) have been gathered and piled at the premise of the house of the village’s administrator, U Zokorea. Now, the Security Force is selling thatches for Kyat 1500 per bundle to people.

3-     On the other hand, the administrator of the nearby village Kyauk Pandu, U Kyaw Sein- a Rakhine extremist, has squeezed Kyat 1,000 to Kyat 2,000 to Kyat 3,000 per Rohingya family under the pretext of building a police station. Now, he’s forcibly collecting Kyat 1,000 under a false excuse of recovering the expenses of hosting the teams of the census enumerators. Those who refuse to give the money are threatened to be arrested by police in the village” he continued.