Saturday, 05 March 2011 07:22
Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s Border Security Force (Nasaka) killed a baby and arrested 17 villagers, including women and children, over the allegation that the group had connections with an insurgent group in Nasaka area No. 2 of Maungdaw Township on March 1, said a local elder who declined to be named.
According to a reliable source, during the last week of February, a man named Moulvi Omar, age 35, who hails from Kurkhali Village of Maungdaw Township and presently lives at Nila in Bangladesh, went to the Kamaung Seik (Fokira Bazaar) Village Tract of Maungdaw and met with some local youths and villagers. He told the people that he wants to establish a party to fight against Burma’s military government. He said he needed help from the local villagers. However, the local people did not say anything to his requests.
According to people living along the border with Bangladesh, Moulvi Omar is an informer for the Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB) of Teknaf and Naikhongchori. He is known to frequently say, “We have to fight the Burmese government with the help of India Intelligence Agencies (Research and Analysis Wing), or RAW.” So, most of the people of the border area believe that Omar is an agent of the RAW.
Based on a tip, on March 1, a group of Nasaka agents from Nasaka area No. 2 went to the Thait Depa Village of Fokira Bazaar at night and arrested Abul Shama, age 49, and all seven of his family members including women and children. The detainees were brought to the Nasaka camp where they were severely tortured over allegations that they had connections with an insurgent group. A baby of Abul Shama, aged only one month, was killed on March 3, when it was kicked by a Nasaka agent, said a close relative of Abul Shama.
On the same day, the Nasaka also arrested five family members of Saber, who hails from Thait Depa Village of Fokira Bazaar, excluding him, and brought them to the Nasaka camp where they were detained and tortured. The Nasaka also arrested two sons of Farook Ahmed of Fokira Bazaar, Deen Mohamed, and his son Bodala Para of Lan Shee Village Tract. All arrested villagers are still currently being detained in the camp.
Yesterday, the Nasaka furthermore arrested Ibrahim Kholil, age 45, and he was tortured severely. His condition is now very serious, the relative continued.
Yesterday evening, the Nasaka accompanied by members of the army, patrolled the village. The villagers were very frightened, and many of the villagers fled to the forest at night to avoid arrest. The villagers are now passing their days and nights in panicked state.
On March 3, in the morning, the Nasaka commander of Nasaka area No. 2 called some villagers and asked them not to cooperate with strangers. He ordered them to immediately send information they receive to the concerned authorities.
In addition, on March 2, the house of Musa Khalil, age 35, was completely destroyed by the Nasaka. However, his family was not arrested, but they were severely tortured, said a local villager who asked not to be named.
Today some of the villagers were summoned to the Nasaka camp, but it is not clear what the Nasaka commander will say them. However, villagers fear further arrests.
Comments
Post a Comment