Crackdown on Rohingyas in Bangladesh continues

Teknaf, Bangladesh: The crackdown on Rohingyas in Bangladesh continues unabated albeit a little slowly, said a registered refugee from Kutupalong camp on condition of anonymity.

Refugees working in the fishing industry in the Bay of Bengal
On February 27, the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) of Dum Dum Mia camp of Teknaf union went to the Teknaf Land Port and drove out all the workers who had registered or unregistered refugee Identity Cards (ID) of Nayapara and Leda refugee camps. Many refugees from both camps have been working at Teknaf Land Port and nearby Teknaf areas to support their family members. After the restriction of movement, the refugees have been facing many difficulties including food crisis, the refugee leader added.

Since then, refugees from Leda (un-official) camp have been suffering from food crisis as they have no work and therefore no ration. Refugees are arrested by BDR or police when they are seen outside the camp. But, the refugees are compelled to go out of the camp to work secretly. If they are seen by BDR on the way to works or back they are arrested and sent them their refugee camps.

Besides, on February 26, at about 8:30 pm, 13- Rohingya including women and children were arrested by police from Ukhiya while they were going to the unregistered Kutupalong refugee camp after crossing the Burma-Bangladesh border. However, on February 27, they were pushed back to Burma by BDR of Balu Khali camp from Anzumon border point, said BDR Sofadar Abul Boshor.

One refugee woman carrying leaves for cooking from outside the camp

They were identified as Ms Morium Khatoon (19), Ms Senowara Begum (20), Ms Julekha (19), Ms Laila Begum (31), Khaleda Begum (20), Ms Seraz Khatoon (36), Monowara Begum( 24), Sayed Hussain (2), Hamid Hussain (4), Md.Salim (9), Yakub Ali( 23), Sha Alam (34) and Ali Akber (61). They were from three families.

In addition, on February 27, at night, Sana Ullah (20), son of Kafayet Ullah, from Shapuri Dip of Teknaf union was arrested by Teknaf police and was brought to Teknaf police station. However, on February 28, he was released after paying Taka 6,000. He was arrested by police while his father was going to Chittagong. They have been living there for 20 years, said a relative of the victim.

The infiltration of Rohingya people to Bangladesh from Burma has come down after the crackdown on Rohingya people in Bangladesh. But, sporadically, some Rohingyas enter Bangladesh from Burma because of political persecution. The junta authorities are also disappointed about the crackdown on Rohingya people in Bangladesh because their policy is failing. Their policy is to drive out Rohingya people from Arakan soil indirectly by political persecution, said a local elder from Maungdaw.

Yesterday, at about 9:30 pm, 11 refugees including three students from Nayapara camp were arrested by camp police while they were walking and playing cram board in the camp and were taken to the police barrack for interrogation after giving allegation that they have no permission to play games after 9:00 pm. They are in the police custody till the time of writing this report, at about 1:30 pm. The police demanded money for their release, said one of the parents of the students.

Refugees from Lada Camp work at construction in the camp

Some of the arrestees out of 11 refugees are identified as: Nurul Hakim (19), Block-B, Shed # 5, Room # 1 and MRC # 002299, Abdul Hakim (22), Block-D, Shed # 4, Room# 4 and MRC # 13215, Nurul Alam( 26), Block-B, Shed # 43, room # 3, and MRC # 90342, Noor Alam ( 30), Block –B, Shed# 70, Room# 4 and MRC # Z-3719, Ali Zuhar ( 21), son of Hamid Hussain, Block # B, H. Hossain (18), Block-B, Shed # 1032, Room # 4, and MRC# Z- 8677, Ahmed Ullah (26), Block-B, Shed # 881, Room # 8, MRC # 48117 and Md Salim ( 21), Block # B, Shed # 10, Room #12 and MRC # Z-747.

Today, at about 9 am, the Block committee Chairman Md. Fayas, block-C, shed # 852, Room 1, from Nayapara camp was arrested and was taken to their barrack by camp police while he was playing cram board, which is provided by UNHCR to the camp with other refugees in the camp and severely humiliated, said a friend of the victim.

Refugees working in the border trade zone in Teknaf

In the unregistered Kutupalong camp, refugees are barred to go out of the camp for work to support their family members. If the refugees are seen outside the camp, police send them to the refugee camp in place of pushing them back to Burma or sending them to Cox’s Bazar jail. Still, refugees have been passing days and nights in fear of arrest by police. Local villagers are also disturbing the refugees who go to the forest to collect firewood, said an elderly refugee from Kutupalong camp.

A refugee woman from Kutupalong makeshift camp, who declined to be named said, “I have three children and my husband was arrested by police two weeks ago and was sent to Cox’s Bazar jail while returning from a work site. I am facing severe food crisis and am facing problems feeding my children.”

Source :http://www.kaladanpress.org/v3/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2452:crackdown-on-rohingyas-in-bangladesh-continues&catid=118:march-2010&Itemid=2