Maungdaw authrities design the twon for UN special Raporteur on Human Rights visit.

 30 July 2012

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Maungdaw authorities- Township and district administration offices – are designing the town with full of Human rights to welcome UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Tomas Quintana visit  the areas , according to an elder from Maungdaw.

“We heard Mr. Tomas Quintana will visit tomorrow Maungdaw and Buthidaung and the Town authorities are preparing all things are under the control and town people –Rohingyas – are getting all facilities – movement, foods and religious.”

“The town authorities called all the village administration officers to their office and ordered all Rohingyas must be in the field for working rice cultivation, must be open the Rohingya shops.”

“The authorities also shifted all the arrestees from Buthidaung Jail to No.2 Hluntin Battalion of Buthidaung near golf playground, who were arrested in the riot period and kept in a small room where the authority toke off all the clothes from them.”

All Rakhines  - Maungdaw  north and south , from town and other sides ;- Buthidaung and Rathedaung - are gathering at refugee centers (mostly in the monasteries) in Maungdaw before , now the Rakhines are gathering at Maungdaw High school as they are victims of the riot and staying in the refugee center for fear of Rohingyas attack to them, said a school teacher from Maungdaw.  “The Rakhines  were gather in the monasteries when relief goods were distributing time and returned back to their home after received the relief goods. There are no Rakhine refugees in Maungdaw as no Rakhine ‘s houses burned, only Rohingyas’ houses only burned in Maungdaw.”

“Rohingyaa are not getting any relief from any quarters and they more suffering by not giving access to foods and medicines by the authority.”

Besides, Police officer U Hla Sein with other 4 police personnel entered more than 20 houses from Ward number 5 where the police beat the family members – women and children- and destroyed all the house hold items. At last the police toke the family list and handed over to Ward admin, said a villager from Ward number 5.

Foor Khan, 21, son of Syed from Naribill was arrested by Military Intelligence officer Hla Win Khine  today at about 4:00pm where he was tortured  to confessed  to say some name of villagers which the officer want to extort money from them, said a villager.

The military personnel are placed everywhere in Maungdaw Township. Rohingya people can move freely now wherever army personnel are posted. The military is selling rice for Rohingya with high price. Rice-sack porters also are happy for earning something. The Rohingya are not able to buy rice as they have no money. All the money were looted by Rakhine and security forces, said a villager from Maungdaw.

But some policemen -–Assistant police officer Aye htun Sein and sergeant Than Maung Gyi- who stationed near the clock tower are looting money from the people and collecting 1000 kyats as toll on per rice -sack.

The ancient mosque nearby Sittwe airport is under renovation by the local municipality as to show up that the government is taking care of the damages. The lands of destructed houses and mosques have been bulldozed. The situation of Rohingya refugee camps in Sittwe is still unchanged. People are dying by starvation and lack of medical treatments.

Violating human rights beside the unrecognizing citizens is likewise keeping the people at silent killing field. Many people are living in open area without any shelter but sometime they were brought to designated places and taken pictures to show up that they were in safe places, said an educated person from Maungdaw.

“Of course Mr Quintana will visit the villages in Arakan to see the situation but I don’t think the vulnerable Rohingya people will dare to speak to him. If anyone who speaks the truth will be tortured upon leaving of Mr Quintana. It is a worry that the government will make some Rohingya as their puppets and let them meets with Mr Quintana and will hide the reality and cover up their crimes against Rohingyas.”

Amnesty International and many Human Rights Organizations issued the statements that there are arbitrary arrests, mass killings and security forces are targeting Rohingya people. The security forces raid every night the villages in Maungdaw to arrest Rohingya men. The Rohingya women were raped in absence of men as almost men were not sleeping at home for the fear of arrest.

Malaysian government offered aids for displaced people but Burma’s foreign minister Wunna Maung Lwin rejected it. Human Rights expert Mr Ansar Burney was rejected the entry visa to Burma. Turkish Red Crescent is waiting for the response of Thein Sein government to assist the Rohingya people. Iran government is urging the UN to send peacekeeping forces to Arakan. Independent media access is still controlled. Within, this situation, the Rohingya can get their rights from world community, said an old man from Maungdaw.

Source-KPN