Maungdaw,
Arakan State: Three
young cowboys were arrested by army on December 30, while grazing
cows on paddy field – After harvesting – nearby their village of
Maungdaw south, Arakan State, Burma, according to a close relative of
the victims. “The arrested cowboys are identified
as—Rashidullah (17), son of Mohamed Nazir, Rafique (16), son of
Imam Hussain, hailed from Zaw Metet village and Jubair (20), son of
Ahmed Sharif, hailed from Thayaigontan village.”
On that day, at
about 12 noon, a section of army from Thayaigontan Rakhine (Natala)
village went to the grazing ground and tried to arrest some cowboys
without any provoking, so all the cowboys were fleeing to avoid the
arrest leaving their cows in the grazing ground. However, the above
said the three cowboys had been arrested by the army, brought to
Maungdaw Town and handed over to the Maungdaw police station, the
close relative more added.
Some
Rohingya elders said, the army tried to attempt to rape a Rohingya
female – Fatema, not real name – but failed as Fetayma screamed
out for help and all the Rohingya villagers rushed to the spot
and save the
fatema on December 29.
The
army angered with villagers as they are not able to rape the Rohingya
female, so started to arrest anyone who will meet
with them
on December 30 and alleged with false case of rape to Rakhine girl,
the elders said.
Besides, all the
cows (nearly 100 cows) were brought to nearby Natala (model) village
by the army, but the next day, all the cows had been returned to the
owners.
Hearing
the news, in the evening, the parents of the victims went to the
police station to see their sons. But, police said to the
parents that the arrestees were involved in the rape of a
Rakhine woman,
so they will be sent soon to Buthidaung jail after filing a rape case
against them, a friend of the parents said.
“It
is a deliberate action against the Rohingya youths. How can they rape
a Rakhine woman in the open sky where many cowboys were grazing their
cows in the paddy field?,” said a village elder on condition
of anonymity.
Another local leader
said, “The situation is very bad for Rohingya community in Arakan
State, in such situation, the Rohingya youths will not dare to commit
such crime against the Rakhine woman.”
A village
businessman said, “We hear that a Rakhine woman is motivated by
army to appear at court and to say that the arrestees had committed
rape against her.”
Over 100 armies led
by Deputy commander Major Rey Wint Aung of light Infantry Battalion
(LIB) No. 352 has been taking station at Maungdaw south to oppress
the Rohingya villagers after the violence between Rakhine and
Rohingya communities in June 2012. But, authority declared that the
armies are for controlling from further clashes between two
communities, a schoolteacher said from Maungdaw Town.
When contacted the
Maungdaw police station, no one is holding the office phone.
A local youth said,
“How can we live in our village, the concerned authority does such
kinds of fabricated allegation against to us.”
Source KPN:
Source KPN:
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