Rakhine Group Attacks Rohingya Fishermen In Pauktaw Township

Source RBnews, 31 Jan

Pauktaw, Arakan – A group of Rohingya fishermen from Sin Tat Maw (Sandama) village of Pauktaw Township of Arakan State were attacked by a Rakhine group on January 28, 2015. 

Sin Tat Maw or Sandama is an ancient historical Rohingya village in Pauktaw Township of Arakan State. Most of the villagers are fishermen and only a few are surviving as farmers. There are about 40 fishing boats, those belonging to the villagers of Sandama. On January 25th, 2015, seven fishing boats carrying eight fishermen on each boat left for fishing from Sandama. 

On January 28th, 2015 at 8 PM the Rohingya fishermen met three Rakhine fishing boats carrying full instruments such as weapons, swords, arrows, etc, in the river. On the three Rakhine fishing boats about 30 Rakhine extremists were standing and reportedly they are from Pha Du (Rakhine) village in Pauktaw Township. 

A Rakhine fisherman started chatting with the Rohingya fishermen and asked about what they are doing. A Rohingya fisherman replied to him that they are fishing. Suddenly the Rakhine fishermen grabbed about 50 fishing nets which are valued about 2 million Kyat, from the fishing boat belongs to Anjeer s/o Abdul Majeed (Aged 50). When the Rohingya fishermen asked them not to grab their fishing nets, the Rakhine fishermen shot at them three times with the weapons they have. Then they started throwing stones into the boats of Rohingya fishermen. 

The shots fired with the weapons didn't hit any Rohingya men but the stones hit them. The Four Rohingya fishermen wounded by the stones were Eshaq s/o Abdul Hannan (wounded in back), Abdul Goffar s/o Buddu (Aged 36, wounded on head), Abdul Khair s/o Abul Qasim (Aged 29, wounded on left hand) and Hamidullah s/o Nozir Ahmed (Aged 37, wounded on left hand and head). Additionally four more Rohingya fishermen were also wounded inside their bodies but in has no visible sign of injuries. They were Abul Hashin s/o Abul Qasim (Aged 37), Mohammed s/o Abdul Majid (Aged 32), Zohur Muluk s/o Tomin Gulal (Aged 56) and Karimuddin s/o Belal (Aged 24).

As the attacks continued the Rohingya fishermen fled from there to Sandama village and complained about the incident to police battalion no. (31), Sandama village Chairman and administration office. The police chief of battalion no. (31) Soe Myint Aung said that the case doesn't concern them and Sandama village chairman Ba Tun (a Rakhine) is responsible to investigate and solve. 

So the Rohingya fishermen complained again to the chairman of Sandama village. The chairman said he has to attend a meeting at Pauktaw Township Administrator Office along with all other villages' administrators and he will discuss about the case at the meeting. The case hasn't been investigated by any authority at this time.

As the attacks were carried by Rakhines, action won't be taken. Rohingyas need to bribe huge amounts to get permission for fishing in the river. Yet they were looted and attacked in the river by the Rakhine extremists. Reportedly there are a few Rakhine groups which were formed by the government just to attack Rohingya fishermen in the river and sea. Rohingyas have less and less opportunity to survive as it is the government's policy to wipe out all Rohingyas from Arakan State of Myanmar.

Saed Arkani contributed in reporting.

Left to right Abul Khair, Abdul Goffar and Hamidullah (Photo: Saed Arkani/Rohingya Blogger)

Eshaq s/o Abdul Hannan wounded in back (Photo: Saed Arkani/Rohingya Blogger)

The fishing boat attacked by Rakhine group (Photo: Saed Arkani/Rohingya Blogger)

The fishing boat attacked by Rakhine group (Photo: Saed Arkani/Rohingya Blogger)