October 19, 2016
Tensions continue to build up in the village tract of Ra Bai La (Kyar Goung Taung) in Maungdaw after the military shot one man and made mass arrests on Wednesday.
The military quietly took up positions near the house of Din Mohammed (s/o Shakir), 46. When the man, unaware of the soldiers came outside his house at around 11am, they asked him if he was working for Al Qaeda. Din replied in the negative but they opened fire on him anyway, killing him on the spot.
The military then led a raid on other parts of the village, arresting four elderly men, including two brothers. They are Sirajul Islam, 60, and his younger brother Babiya, 56. Two others arrested have been arrested are Gambia, 60, and Rashid Ullah, 45.
Later the military arrested three others. They have been identified as Nurul Amin, Syed Akbar and Helal Ahmed. One source claimed three other men have also been arrested but could not provide details.
Most of the young men have fled the restive village tract and those arrested are mostly elderly men. But local sources say the elderly men arrested are also subjected to brutal torture.
Inhumane torture is common in the notorious prisons of Arakan where hundreds have died and many more maimed by security forces since 2012.
Since Sunday, dozens of people have been arrested but there is no knowledge about their whereabouts leading to suspicions they might have been killed.
Many women have also been arrested and it is feared they will be raped in custody. The Tatmadaw has faced many allegations of raping women from ethnic minorities during military operations.
