Eight Rohingyas Sentenced To Two Years For Refusing To Participate BGP Census

RB News 

December 4, 2014 

Maungdaw, Arakan – Eight Rohingyas from Kyauk Hlay Ghar village of Northern Maungdaw Township in Arakan State were sentenced to two years for refusing to participate in census conducted by Border Guard Police (BGP). 

On August 1st, 2014 the Border Guard Police conducted a census in the name to register Rohingya as illegal Bengali immigrants at Kyauk Hlay Ghar village in Northern Maungdaw Township. As the census referred to Rohingya as illegal Bengali immigrants the Rohingya villagers refused to participate. Although the whole village refused, nine Rohingyas were targeted and arrested. One of them was released on that day and eight were tried and sentenced to two years prison with hard labor. 

The court decision was made on December 2, 2014 at Maungdaw Township court, according to locals. They were tried under Burma panel code 353 which is assaulting a public servant during the time they are on duty. The arrestees didn’t convince anyone in the village to refuse participation in the census nor organized any event to deny the unofficial census conducted by BGP. They simply stayed at home not willing to participate if the term ‘Rohingya’ is forbidden. The authorities targeted against them for the term “Rohingya” and they were punished unjustly. 

During the hearing at the court, the families were not allowed to attend and the arrestees were not allowed to hire a lawyer. 

The eight innocent Rohingyas who were imprisonment for two years with hard labour are: 

(1) Zahir Ahmed s/o Abdu Subhan (Age 50) 

(2) Noor Alam s/o Sayedul Rawn (Age 42) 

(3) Mahmed Noor s/o Noor Alam (Age 25) 

(4) Idris s/o Zahir Ahmed (Age 18) 

(5) Mawzid s/o Mamed Alam (Age 17) 

(6) Zafar s/o Noor Alam (Age 25) 

(7) Hafiz Shawbu Alam s/o Mohammed Iqbal (Age 28) 

(8) Ameen s/o Ahmed Kabir (Age 18)