Human Trafficking Update: Five boats left from Maungdaw South bound for Malaysia

(Photos Caption: A boat leaving from Lay Yin Gwin village, Aley Than Kyaw, Maungdaw)

RB News
August 20, 2013

Maungdaw, Arakan – In the past five days, the regional authorities of Maungdaw Towship within the Arakan State, have been collecting Rohingyas to send Malaysia by boat.

A Rohingya told RB News that a boat left from Lay Yin Gwin village of Aley Than Kyaw village tract at 11:40 am. That small boat loaded 30 Rohingya men. A boat from Aley Than Kyaw and three boats from Myin Hlut village left at 11:50 am. Reportedly, five boats in total left from Maungdaw South. More than 150 Rohingyas were onboard. 

The small boats left for Saint Martin Island, Bangladesh where the big boat is standby to leave for Malaysia. 

Earlier reports stated that there were over 300 Rohingyas organized. The authorities have been planning for 1000 Rohingyas in the area to make the trip to Malaysia. 

The owners of the small boats are Monzoor Rahman, son of Salim Ullah from Aley Than Kyaw. Hamid Hussein, son of Abdul Karim from Aley Than Kyaw and Ex village administrator Enayet Ullah, son of Fawzol Karim from Myin Hlut village. 

It has been reported to RB News that the people mainly involved in this human trafficking case are: Aley Than Kyaw based Aley Than Kyaw in-charge Captain from Military, Police Officer, SB Police Aung Kyaw Zin, SaRaPha (Military Security) Sergeant Kyi Han, Tin Tun from Human Trafficking Prevention Group, Aley Than Kyaw village administrator Maung Thet Naing and Ex Aley Than Kyaw village administrator Zaw Htoo. 

Malaysia has been considered to be a safe haven for Rohingyas since violence broke out against them in June of last year. Many have attempted to travel there by boat. They payed large sums of money to human traffickers with hopes of gaining refugee status within the country. The voyage is to Malaysia treacherous. Rickety boats have capsized at sea. People have been starved and drowned. Many times the boats do not make it to its destination. 

Some boats have been halted by Coast Guards, seeing Rohingyas arrested and detained. Some crooked human traffickers have sold the people off as slaves. For these reasons the people who have tried to make this voyage have been dubbed as "Boat People" 

As posted in RB News on August 18th: due to the tremendous danger for the lives of the the Rohingya people who take this voyage, there were actions to try to stop the human trafficking plans by higher authorities. At this point, the government has taken no action against them. They have been letting the plans continue. The government encourages Rohingya Muslims to leave for the voyage. It works as part of ethnic cleansing of these people. A means to wipe them from the town and all of Arakan state.