A Rohingya villager named Abdul Gaffar from Wamakya village of southern Buthidaung in Arakan State, Burma, who was arrested on April 19, 2002, is still detained in Na Sa Ka camp No. 23 of Sector No- 9, as he could not afford to pay a bribe of 5,000,000/- (five million) Kyats to the Na Sa Ka officer, a villager who wanted not to be named, told Kaladan Press yesterday.On April 17, two armed Na Sa Ka soldiers accompanied by 11 new Buddhist settlers, from the nearby model village, had looted 4 tolas of gold (one tola = 11.11 gms) and a cash of 5,00,000 (Five hundred thousand) Kyats, from the house of Abdul Gaffar said a villager.
At about 10:00 p.m. of the night the Na Sa Ka soldiers with the settlers came to the house of Abdul Gaffar and carried him away from his house and threatened him into showing them cash and valuables in his house. Then at about 3:30 a.m. the Na Sa Ka took Abdul Gaffar to his house and looted the cash and gold ornaments. Then the soldiers immediately withdrew leaving Abdul Gaffar behind.
On the following morning of April 18 when the house owner Abdul Gaffar reported the event of decoity committed by the Na Sa Ka, the officer of the camp told him that the matter would be judged on April 20 next. So he returned to his home.
But, before the judgement date, Abdul Gaffar was called and detained instead of remedy. For his release, the Na Sa Ka officer was demanding a sum of 5,000,000/- (five million) Kyats which was impossible to meet on the part of Abdul Gaffar, whereupon the Na Sa Ka continue to detain him in their camp No. 23…
Similar incidents were also occurred in the past. At about 8:30 p.m., on the day of 15th March, 5 army personnel from battalion No. 353 of Buthidaung North, in the guise of dacoits, had looted the house of an old lady namely Salama Khatun of Mogbil village under Buthidaung township, said a reliable source.
