Time hasn’t changed when falling in love is a crime.

Kaladan News: May 7, 2009

Youth arrested for talking to lover

Maungdaw, Arakan State: A youth was arrested by Nasaka Burma’s border security force on April 22 for talking to his lover in her house, a relative of the victim said on condition of anonymity.

The youth has been identified as Mohamed Idris (25), son of Hussain Ahmed from Oh Daung village of Maungdaw Township.

The youth recently fell in love with Anwara Begum (19) of the same village and the girl reciprocated.

According to another victim’s relative, one day in the early morning, the youth went to his love’s house to meet her. Seeing this, a Nasaka’s collaborator named Enzu Rahman asked the youth to pay him kyat 60,000 not to inform the Nasaka authority. But the youth denied paying him and asked the Nasaka collaborator to inform Nasaka authorities. “The youth said,” I did not commit any crime. I only talked to my lover. Is it a crime?

However, the Nasaka’s collaborator informed the Nasaka camp of Aley Than Kyaw under  Maungdaw Township.  The following day, on April 22, Nasaka personnel from Aley Than Kyaw Nasaka camp went to his village and he was brought to Nasaka camp after being arrested on the allegation that he had relations with the young girl.

The detainee has not been provided food from the camp, so food is sent from his house everyday.

The Nasaka demanded Kyat 150,000 for his release. The following day, on April 23, his father accompanied by Village Peace and Development Council Chairman  (VPDC) Hashim and other members went to the Nasaka camp and the victim was released after paying Kyat 150,000 to the concerned Nasaka officer, said a relative of the victim.

A local trader said, “It is not a crime for the youth to talk to his lover. It is a deliberate act against the victim as he is a Rohingya Muslim.”