Extort kyat 700,000 for no marriage permission from Rohingya couples in Arakan, Burma

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma border security force (Nasaka) extorted kyat 700,000 from two couples without taking marriage permission from concerned authority in Maungdaw on December 18, said a Nasaka aide on condition of anonymity.

“Saiful Islam (30), and Abas Meah (40) are two brothers and sons of Dr. Noor Mohamed, hailed from Fokira Bazar of Maungdaw Township, are two bridegrooms of the two couples who had paid the money to Nasaka.”

The two brothers married recently without taking marriage permission from the local Nasaka officer because the Nasaka deliberately takes a long time to issue marriage permission after taking a big amount, said a trader from the locality.

“Saiful Islam is the new bridegroom, but Abas Meah took second wife as his first wife was dead two years ago.”

A group of Nasaka personnel from Fokirabazar went to the bridegrooms’ home where Nasaka arrested the two bridegrooms and kept detained in the camp on December 18. However, they were released after paying Kyat 700,000, said a close relative of the victims who denied to be named.

In Arakan State, the Rohingya community is not allowed to marry without marriage permission from concerned authorities. The widowers have to wait at least two years to take another wife or remarried. The bridegroom is to be clean-shaved and not to take more than two children. The couple must be over 18-year old.

There is no restriction to non-Rohingya communities. The authority pretends that they have the duty to control the birth rate for the Rohingya community, in reality; they intend to reduce population growth of Rohingya community, giving many kinds of mentally harassment and extorting money, said a Rohingya elder from the locality.

 

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