Arbitrary arrests increase in Maungdaw .

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Two Maungdaw district police officers have been accused by a local Rohingya leader of arbitrarily arresting and torturing Rohingyas on charges of drug trafficking, and releasing them only after they pay a bribe.

The leader, who asked not to be named, identified the officers as Assistant Sub Inspector Aung Khin Than and Corporal Maung Chay, who have close relationships with the district police chief.

The two officers wearing civilian clothes were stationed near a petrol shop near the clock tower in Maungdaw and harassed members of the Rohingya community coming to town from rural areas, said a local businessman.

“Whenever we complain to authorities, no action is taken. Corporal Maung Chay is close to the district police chief and is allowed to do whatever he wants,” the businessman said.

“Maung Chay has a lot of assets in town and has served in his post for more than 10 years, during which he has looted the Rohingya community by falsely accusing them.”

Earlier this week, the two officers went to arrest a man called Sultan in Maungni village at 3pm without an arrest warrant and tried to search his home on suspicion of drug violations without informing village authorities or personnel of Burma’s border security force Nasaka.

The man, Sultan was not at home, and the officers tried to force their way past female members of the man’s family, who blocked the officers from entering, said a local villager.

“While the officers tried to enter, the female family members pushed them away and tensions became high as neighboring villagers gathered around the officers.”

The officers called for assistance from district police, who saved them from the villagers. Twenty officers arrived and arrested the four female family members, who were detained for an hour before being released.

“District police handed the female family members over to the village head,” said the villager.

A local school teacher said that police and Nasaka personnel often arrest well-to-do Rohingyas by fabricating charges and take them into custody for torture in order to extract money from family members.