Report by Sindhi Khan | Written by M.S. Anwar
September 28, 2013 | Maung Daw, Arakan
Many Rohingyas were severely beaten up and tortured bythe tactical operation commander at the military regiment in Taung Phyo sub-township, northern Maung Daw for speaking to some international observers.
“Jafar Alam S/o Shomsul Hoque (Age 45), Rahimullah S/o Karimullah (Age 38) and Ayub S/o Ali Chand are local residents of the village of Ye Aung Chaung of Mi-Htaike village tract, Taung-Pyo sub-township, northern Maung Daw. On 18thSeptemeber 2013, the former two Rohingyas visited the latter’s home and were having some discussions. And it was at around 1:30PM of the day.
Meanwhile, Military and Security Force raided the house of the above-mentioned Ayub (who is a 100-household leader) under the banner of Guest-Check operation. They arrested and detained the three Rohingyas respectively for visiting and hosting without the permission of the village administrator. Afterwards, Military released them having extorted Kyat 500,000 in total.
On 21st September 2013, some international observers visited the region. The villagers recounted what had happened earlier to the observers. (The observer team were visiting all over Maung Daw in the third week of Septemeber 2013)
The next day, the Tactical Operation Commander (Bhyu-Haa-Hmuu) at Taung Byo Military Regiment called up the administrators and elders of the village and its neighboring villages to his office. Then, many Rohingyas present werebeaten up and tortured for speaking to the observers. He beat up the people saying why they (people) told the observers about his officers’ behaviour instead of him” said a local of the region.
“Even though people had complaint to him, he would not have taken any action. It happened so many times before. It was just his excuse to torture people.
And we are now facing restrictions to visit our neigboring houses within our villages even at daytime. It might be the worst form of travel restrictions in the world” he added.
Taung Byo Sub-Township, Maung Daw Township (Photo: edenhilltravels.com)
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