KALADAN PRESS NETWORK
JUST FOR ONE NIGHT
STAY A ROHINGYA HAS TO BRIBE 3,000 KYATS
By our correspondent:
Teknaf, May 23: “Any
Rohingya travelling from
Buthidaung to Maungdaw
has to bribe 3,000 Kyats to
concerned authorities,” a Rohingya
who recently
crossed the border, told Kaladan Press yesterday in
Teknaf preferring not to be named.
“Rohingyas are totally banned to
travel any parts of
Arakan and
Maungdaw and Buthidaung
townships, but under severe
restrictions,” he further added
angrily.
“Many Na Sa Ka camps with several
check-posts are set
up in the name of security and
development of the
border areas. But, in fact, they
are controlling and
restricting our day to day
activities, including our
freedom of movement and economic
pursuits,” said the
man in disappointment.
According to his statement, first of all a Rohingya
traveller
has to get recommendation from his VPDC
(Village Peace and Development Council) showing his
family list and paying Kyats 200/- as fee. Then he has
to submit VPDC recommendation to
the local Na Sa Ka
camp to get its recommendation for
which he has to pay
200/- Kyats.
Upon receipt of those recommendations,
he has to take “From 4”, and
recommendation from the
township immigration office on
payment of Kyats 500/-.
It is to be mentioned that ”Form 4”
is commonly meant
for foreigners.
Afterwards, the filled up copy of the “Form 4”,
accompanied by all necessary
recommendations, has to
be submitted to the Na Sa Ka
outpost, set up on
Maungdaw-Buthidaung road, for
gate-pass paying Kyat
100/-.
On way to Maungdaw, he has to show
all his documents
and recommendations again to the
Military Intelligence
Service No. 18, which stands on Buthidaung-Maungdaw
road, about 10 miles from Maungdaw town where they
charge him 200 Kyats.
Again, he has to show all the
documents to the Na Sa Ka outpost,
situated at
Razarbil, a place on Buthidaung—Maungdaw road, about 3
miles from Maungdaw
town, There an amount of Kyats
200/- has to be paid. On arrival at destination, he is
bound to report to Maungdaw immigration office of his
arrival where he needs to pay 100 Kyats.
On his way back to Buthidaung he
has to appear before
the Na Sa Ka outpost and MI-18
camp, located on
Maungdaw-Buthidaung road, where he
has to pay 100
Kyats to each and in case of over
stay at Maungdaw, he
has to pay extra 500 Kyats per night. On his back
home, he is again required to
report to Buthidaung Na
Sa Ka outpost of his return from Maungdaw. There he is
charged 100 Kyats
and, in case of overstay, additional
500/- Kyats per
night.
Failure to report, in time, to the concerned township
immigration office and Na Sa Ka
camp of his return, he
is punished for 3 months
imprisonment or a fine of
2,500 Kyats.
Thus a Rohingya visitor from Buthidaung
needs at least an amount of 3,000 Kyats for one night
stay at Maungdaw.
He continued that sometimes one has to spend 5,000 to
6,000 Kyats to travel between the
two northern cities
of Maungdaw
and Buthidaung with a distance of 16 miles
only.
Editor
Kaladan press