KALADAN NEWS

Dated: Saturday, October 02, 2004

 

A Marriage away from Home  

 

Maungdaw, October 02: In first week September, a Rohingya couple, whose engagement was announced nearly one year ago, had to leave their homeland to marry in Bangladesh because of the marriage restriction in Arakan, said Abdul Jalil, the bridegroom.

 

Abdul Zalil, 25, son of Abdul Matalib and Khurshida Begum, 20,daughter of Molvi Abdul Monaf, both of them from Oo Daung village of Maungdaw Township in Arakan (Rakhine) State were engaged to each other by their parents nearly one year ago. On 26th January, in compliance with the restrictions imposed on the marriage of the Rohingyas, the parents of the intending couple made an application, accompanied by all necessary papers and documents, for marriage permission to Captain Saw Lwin, the Commander of the Nasaka Sector Nos.7 and 8 of Maungdaw Township, he further added.

 

The application was already attached with a recommendation letter from Village PDC’s Chairman, consent of the parents of both sides, the agreement made between intending couple, their family lists and photos, said Kurshida, the bride.

 

Under the pretext of inquiry, on 4th February 2004, the parents of both sides were called to the Nasaka camp and asked some perplexing questions, which were but mental harassment.  But without granting permission the Commander asked them to come again on 10th March 2004 with money, she further said.

 

On 20th March the parents of both sides appeared in the camp with an amount Kyat 20,000/- to recommend the application. But the commander again asked them to come the following day. Accordingly, they appeared again taking together the Nasaka tout Kamal, but ineffectually, the bridegroom again added. 

 

Usually one has to bribe Kyat 100,000 to 200,000 to get their application passed according to his/her financial condition. Even Kyat 500,000 is charged in some cases. Normally Kyat 20, 000/- is taken for the recommendation of the concerned Nasaka authorities, he further added.                                                

 

Being tired of approaching the commander and seeing no possibility of getting his permission, the intending couple crossed the border over to Bangladesh on 5th September and on 13th September their marriage was solemnized in a bordering village of Bangladesh. 

 

“An elderly villager said, “ Marriage restriction on our people is a very inhuman. This is serious discrimination as well as grave human rights violation against a particular community. If it were for population control why the members of other community are exempted from it. Again why do they squeeze huge money from Rohingya for marriage permission and apply various sorts of harassment to the intending couple and their parents. It indicates that they are insincere and just want our people to leave their hearths and homes? ”

 

Marriage restrictions that have been imposed on Rohingya community by Nasaka(Border Security Force)  since 1999. The marriageable age is fixed 25 years for the bridegroom and 18 years for the bride. The bridegroom has to assure not to take more than one wife while both the couple have to promise not take more than 3 children. ##

 

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