The Military Intelligence (Sarapa) in Burma arrested five traders in Maungdaw Town on April 9 and 10, on the allegation that they communicate with Bangladeshi people for business purposes.
The arrested traders have been identified as Maulana Haroon (40) from Darga Dill in Maungdaw Township, Md Akber (60), from ward No. 5 in Maungdaw Town, Lukman Hakim (60) from ward No. 5, Zahir Ahmed (30) from Shidar Para (Myoma Ka Nyin Tan) in Maungdaw Township and Shaffi Rahaman (55) who belongs to ward No. 5 in Maungdaw Town, according to a relative of those arrested.
On April 9 and 10, Sarapa personnel led by sergeant Myint Maung went to their shops and arrested them after alleging that they have ties with Bangladeshi people into business in Bangladesh. Among them, Zahir Ahamed was tortured severely by Sarapa after arrest.
One of the relatives of the arrested said, "By torturing Zahir Ahamed severely they are passing a message to the others that they will also be tortured if they do not pay money that the (Sarapa) will demand."
However, on April 10, in the evening, they were released after paying up.
"If the arrested are guilty, they should have been punished. Why were they released after paying money?" a local leader asked.
Mike Hitchen, Mike Hitchen Consulting
