Village Administration Officers are forcing Rohingya villagers in Burma Border Guard Police (BGP) controlled areas to give the BGP money to allegedly help fund a football tournament, according to Kafayat a football player from Maungdaw.
He said that the BGP are forcing all Rohingya families to give them 1,000 kyats each, even poor families and widows and that they have already collected thousands of kyats from Rohingyas living in villages in the eight BGP controlled areas of Maungdaw.
An officer from Maungdaw who did not wish to be named said that the football games in BGP controlled areas had started on 5 December.
He said that the BGP will not put the money that they collect towards the football tournament and it is just an excuse for them to demand money from Rohingyas.
Hamid, an elder from Maungdaw North said: "It is indirect extortion of money from the Rohingya community. Even the BGP treat Rohingyas like foreigners and harass them during their daily struggle to survive."
Forkir Ahmed from Maungdaw North said: "It is difficult for me to pay the money as I am poor and can't afford to feed my family."
He said that Rohingya villagers are unhappy because they are persecuted by the authorities and have been forced to give money towards the football tournament.
The first game of the football tournament was held on 5 December at Kyauk Lagaar Village in BGP Area 6, it was between teams from Kyauk Lagar and Shwe Zaar villages.
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
