Kaladan News

Date: Thursday, August 19, 2004

7 Rohingya Refugees Arrested at Cox’s Bazar Magistrate’s Court

Cox’s bazaar, August 19: Seven Rohingya refugees were sent to jail after they were arrested alleging in connection with terrorist’s activities and creating obstacles in refugee repatriation process while they were appearing before the magistrate’s court according to their fixed date for their previous cases, said an eyewitness from Cox’s Bazar.

The seven refugees were previously arrested in 2002 from Kutupalong refugee camp by alleging involvement in terrorist’s activities and creating obstacles in refugee repatriation process. After some months in the jail hazard, they got bail from the court with the cooperation of Camp- in-Charge of the refugee Camps and staying peacefully in their previous refugee camps. But they have to attend regularly to the Cox’s Bazar Court on the date of their cases, said a refugee from the camp, who declined to mention his name.

On the fateful day on August 09, 2004, they went to the Cox’s Bazar Court to appear before the magistrate’s office as per their scheduled of cases. But, all the 7 refugees were arrested again from the Cox’s Bazar court by police canceling their bails at the presence of Rohingya Refugee Relief Commissioner (RRRC), Mr. Seddikur Rahman and were kept in Cox’s Bazar jail. They were again alleged in involvement of terrorist’s activities and creating problems in refugee repatriation process, said a relative of the arrestees.

The arrestees are Dr, Nazir, 30, Mr. Ibrahim, 40, Abdul Shukur, 33, Zakir Ahmed, 35, Mohamed Salim, 30, including his two brothers. They are registered refugees from Kutupalong refugee camp of Cox’s Bazar District, he further added.

According to a refugee from Kutupalong camp, it is nothing but to take revenge to the refugees who were participated in the hunger strike on last June 6, 2004 and to show the refugees exemplary punishment and make threats who would be participated in creating problems in future repatriation. The above-mentioned cases against the 7 refugees are totally fabricated and false allegations.

But, previously, the UNHCR, camp-in- Charge and other concerned authorities gave the refugees assurance not to arrest with fabricated and false cases against them when the refugees involved in hunger strike in last June. Where are they now? said, another refugee from Kutupalong camp.

A local UNHCR field assistant from Cox’s Bazar, declined to mention his name said more Rohingya refugees were jailed by the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) with false and fabricated cases. Of them, some were sentenced long-term jail whereas GoB and local UNHCR field officers were violating the worst forms of Human Rights.

At present, the GoB is drawing plans and programs with the cooperation of local UNHCR field assistants to resume the Rohingya repatriation process. This creates the Rohingya refugees in awful situation because it would compel the refugees to go back to Burma.

We came Bangladesh to take shelter to avoid the persecution of Burmese military regime and will go back to our homeland when the weather of political situation is favorable to us. There are so many kinds of harassments and oppression against the Rohingyas, such as seizing farmlands from Rohingya villagers and constructing model villages for Buddhist settlers taking force labor from Rrohingya villagers still continued. In these circumstances, why the Bangladesh is trying to send us forcibly to Burma, said a refugee from Kutupalong camp in an anger mode. ##

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