Hla Thein, Investigation Commission Member Unwelcome By Rohingyas In Maungdaw

RB News 

February 7, 2014

Maungdaw, Arakan – Myanmar government has formed an investigation commission on February 6, 2014 to inquire about the incidents that occurred in Duchiradan village from January 13, 2014. No Rohingya member were a part of the 27 member inquiry commission that was formed in August 2012. Now a Rohingya towns-elder is a member of recently formed commission. The commission comprised of 10 members including a Rohingya towns-elder U Hla Thein (aka) Mawji Hullah. 

Local Rohingya residents in Maungdaw told RB News that U Hla Thein is unwelcomed by them. 

U Hla Thein lives in Myoma South ward in Maungdaw Township. According to locals, he is a puppet of Special Branch and police force. He was used by the government in the June 2012 conspiracy against Rohingyas in Maungdaw. Now, the government didn’t inquire with locals about him and he has been appointed as a commission member.

The locals said although there are some doctors, school teachers, lawyers and other well educated people in the Rohingya community in Maungdaw, the government has intentionally chosen this uneducated yes-man to show the world about their transparency. A puppet of the government. He will only say what government instructs him. 

As in 2012, no Rohingya MPs in Union parliament were selected by the government to be a member of the investigation commission. In 2012, the commission only reported what the government needed from them. In this investigation the villagers in Duchiradan reported all truths of incidents to the National Human Rights Commission of Myanmar. They submit false reports to the government and informed all false information to media. 

The local Rohingyas said that they don’t welcome any commission formed by the government as those will never tell the truth. So they urge the world to pressure Myanmar government to accept an independent international investigation commission.