Letter from Maungdaw

[brelief@xxxxxxx]

Voices of Burma

This letter was received from Burma, translated and edited for Burma Debate
(Nov/Dec 1997)

December 8, 1997

Travel restrictions on Muslims of Arakan, which were imposed long ago, have
been further tightened recently.  Severe restrictions have particularly been
put on travel between Maungdaw and Sittwe (Akyab).  Besides getting
permission following a lengthy process which is very costly, intimation and
extortion along the way is now carried out with added momentum.  The latest
method of harassment and brutal dealings are applied against the Muslims at
the notorious "ASEAN gate" in Akyab.  All the Muslim passengers are herded
to the "ASEAN gate" after arrival at the jetty in Akyab, which was erected
recently for the Rohingya passengers, while non-Muslims are allowed to go
through the usual gate.  Rohingyas are kept inside the "ASEAN gate" for
about two or more hours where they are physically humiliated and financially
extorted before being allowed to proceed.  Whatever is demanded by the
combined authorities posted at the jetty, must be provided by the Muslim
Rohingyas.  The Muslims have to unwillingly buy anti-Muslim propaganda
magazines, make donations for building pagodas, and buy lottery tickets with
expired dates.  During the line-up at the infamous gate, the Muslims need to
sit humbly and any movement that would create undesirable attention results
in beating and kicking, without considering that the person may be old or
pregnant.

The authorities have been feeling that it was possible for the SLORC to be
admitted to ASEAN because of the strong support from Muslim countries in
ASEAN.  But what about the Muslims in Burma?  As the junta maintains its
same track ? ethnic cleansing in Muslim areas ? it has nakedly started
humiliating the Muslims in Arakan by introducing this "ASEAN gate to dispel
any hope in them of strong constructive intervention from Malaysia and
Indonesia to improve that status of Muslims in Burma.

Maungdaw, Burma

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