Village administrators summoned at Nasaka camp

Maungdaw, Arakan State: All Village Administration officers, under Nasaka (Burma’s border security force) area No.7 of Maungdaw south were summoned to its local Nasaka commanding office by the Commander on December 6, 2012, said one of the local village Administration officer from Aley Than Kyaw village.

“We were called because to pay night sentry in the villages for security.”

In the meeting, the Nasaka commander discussed many different issues with village leaders regarding the present situation of Arakan State, said an aide of Nasaka.

Later, the commander told to stop primary education of Arabic literature where religious teachers have been teaching small boys and girls inside the mosques or Moktobs (small school) without knowledge of concerned authorities, he added.

“Every village has to pay sentry at night, if anyone does not comply with the order, he will be punished according to the law,” the commander said.

The Gonzondia village administration officer – Biala – asked to the Nasaka commander, the end of his speech, “No youths in the village now, they left from Arakan because of fear of arrest and arbitrary harassments by the concerned authorities. Mostly, old people are living in the villages. How they will pay night sentry in the cold season?,”

The Nasaka commander reply, “I don’t know, I need sentry in the village at night.It is my order.”

A local elder said on condition of anonymity, “We are very afraid to pay sentry at night. We will be arrested by the security forces over the false and fabricated allegations. It is be very difficult for the Rohingya community at this moment.”

It is another tactic to arrest the villagers or to arrest after giving allegation when the villagers are present in the sentry camps, said a trader from the locality.

Another local elder said, “To stop the basic primary Arabic education in villages is another deprivation of Rohingys’ rights. We have been teaching young children since long.”

Many people say, the present government is varying into democracy, but, in fact, it is not changing. It is worse than previous one. President’s mind set is not changed, so far, though he has altered civilian clothes, said a politician.
Source KPN: