A/HRC/39/CRP.2
detention.1291 An interviewee from Maungdaw, explained how Tatmadaw soldiers would
come to the market or village and simply arrest whomever they found, take them to the police
station, and then ask money from the family for their release. 1292 An interviewee from
Buthidaung also shared the following account:
If we wanted to change anything in the house, we had to pay. Our family had to change
two bamboo poles in the railing of our house. When the NaSaKa officers heard the
sound of repair, they came and asked for money.1293
618. Sometimes payments were made, but the issue remained unresolved. One interviewee
explained that his brother paid 100,000 Kyat to the NaSaKa to obtain his marriage
authorisation but it was not issued. He was later detained for five years for not having a
permit. 1294Another interviewee explained how he was detained at a police station and the
police officer said he would be released if he paid a large bribe. However, although he paid,
he was not released.1295
619. The amounts extracted from the Rohingya are exorbitant compared to their revenue.
It adversely affects their right to an adequate standard of living, including to food and
livelihood, and to health and dignity. It often leads to unbreakable cycles of debt, household
impoverishment and desperate coping mechanisms:
The police said that if we couldn’t give them 350,000 Kyat, I would be put in prison.
My mother had to arrange the money. She sold our land to ensure my release.1296
(c)
Sexual and gender-based violence
620. There are credible and consistent reports of sexual and gender-based violence against
Rohingya women and girls by members of the Tatmadaw, the police and the NaSaKa.1297 The
experience shared by one interviewee illustrates the prevalence of such acts, even outside the
periods of extreme violence in 2012, 2016 and 2017:
I was taken to a large government building next to the high school in Maungdaw.
There were many police officers. I was taken to a room where there were already
about 10 other Rohingya women. Men in uniform took away women in groups of four
and then I heard screaming. I think they were being raped. I heard girls saying, “Oh
Allah, save me” and “please don’t rape me”. Other women were giving massages to
men from various security forces, not just the police. It was humiliating. If a girl was
not massaging, she was hit by the police. It was very weird because the place was like
an office but all of this was happening there. I saw girls with bite marks on their
cheeks, and one fully naked girl running away. I managed to escape through a very
small hole1298.
621. This is consistent with other credible reports published throughout the years. For
example, a report of the United Nations Secretary-General on conflict-related sexual violence
noted in 2012 that rape was condoned by military commanders.1299 Examples of reported
sexual violence include the rape of 13 Rohingya girls and women by NaSaKa forces in
northern Maungdaw Township on 20 February 2013; the gang rape of a 16-year old Rohingya
girl by police in early 2014; 14 cases of gang rape and sexual assault between January and
June 2014;1300 and the rape of a 10-year old girl by the military in early 2015.1301
1291
1292
1293
1294
1295
1296
1297
1298
1299
A/66/657*–S/2012/33*.
1300
S/2015/203, p. 12
K-125
1301
146
CI-062, CI-065, CI-069, CI-072, CI-073, CI-082, CI-090, CI-092, CI-094, CI-100, CI-133, CI-134,
CI-136, CI-144, CI-146, CI-149, CI-179, CI-181, CI-183, CI-186, CI-189, CI-190, DI-010, DI-020,
DI-025, DI-026, DI-037, DI-038, DI-046, DI-050, ZI-002.
DI-025.
DI-010.
CI-064.
DI-037.
DI-025.
CI-074, CI-077, CI-174, DI-038, DI-048, DI-050.
DI-048.