Extortion and Torture Continued By U-Daung Village Administrator In Maungdaw

RB News 

September 20, 2013 

Maungdaw, Arakan – The village administrator of U-Daung village tract of Maungdaw Township in Arakan State is continuously extorting money and torturing Rohingya, villagers according to locals. 

On June 25, 2013 RB News reported 26.1 million kyats in extortion by U-Daung village administrator Tin Maung. Aziz Ullah, son of Hashim (48-years-old) was among the victims in the report who had 1.8 million kyats extorted from him by Tin Maung over the past 3 months over false accusations. A few days ago, Aziz Ullah was threatened again by Tin Maung to pay more money but this time Aziz Ullah having grown tired of being forced to pay to stop false accusations. As a result Tin Maung brought Hlun Htaine police and arrested him. He was released after three days. 

On September 19th at 10 am, Tin Maung met Aziz at a tea shop nearby U-Daung bazaar. It is reported that there Tin Maung beat Aziz Ullah until he was bleeding from his lips and forehead for speaking out over the extortion scams of Tin Maung at Hlun Htaine outpost. Wanting to escape the abuse of Tin Maung, Aziz ran to his house which is nearby the tea shop. Tin Maung and his 5 associates then followed him into the house and where they beat him and his wife Hamida as well. Tin Maung then threatened arrest and imprison the couple. As a resut the couple fled from the village to escape the arrest. 

In a similar reports, Anis Ullah, son of Karim Ullah (16-years-old) was arrested by Tin Maung on September 15th on false accusation that he was using a Bangladesh mobile phone. He was released after paying 500,000 kyats as extortion. Another victim was Lal Miah, son of Fawzu (65-years-old), who was reportedly set up by Tin Maung who placed a Bangladesh mobile phone into Lal Miah's shop and then arrested Lal Miah’s son on the accusation of being the owner of the phone. He was also extorted 500,000 kyats for this. 

In similar events Nawzir Rahmat, son of Muzair (50-years-old) and Salim Ullah, son of Shawmu Luk (55-years-old) were accused by Tin Maung of farming betel illegally in the paddy field. The two Rohingya men were forced to pay 170,000 kyats. Finally, Nur Salam, son of Mardi (53-years-old), and 8 associates were accused of letting the water from their paddy fields leak over into the prawn lake of Na Pa Ka. They were extorted 300,000 kyats for the accusation.