Muslims boat people charged under immigration law

25 Jul 2019

Cha Lu Aung and Nay Yaung Min | DMG

25 July, Sittwe

The total of 27 Muslims from IDP camps in Sittwe, out of 63 illegal boat people who have been arrested in Maungdaw Township while attempting to reach Malaysia, have been charged under section 13 (1) of the immigration law in Myanmar and were remanded yesterday.

Inspector Min San from Maungdaw district Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force said that the 27 Muslims have been charged for leaving from the country illegally. The remaining Muslims are from Bangladesh and they would be transferred to their country later, he said.

They might face from six months to five years imprisonment or be fined K 1500 (USD 1) or both. 

How were they arrested?

A boat carried 63 Muslims and the crew of four boats was stranded near Myin Lut village in Maugndaw Township on 7 July. The arrests were made by the Boarder Guard Force in the region.

According to the boat men’s statement, Harmet Tu Saung (aka) Kyaw Hla from Bu May village in Sittwe Township has worked as an illegal migrant worker in Malaysia since 2012, he worked there as a mason and a Malaysian human trafficker had him work sending Muslims illegally to Malaysia.

The Malaysian trafficker linked him to Chit Ko, owner of the motor boat, in Kawthoung in June this year. Harmet Tu Saung left from Thahtay Island in Kawthoung with four crew members hired by Chit Ko.

They stopped at the territorial waters of Bangladesh near Saint Martin Island (aka) Ohn Island on 4 July and took on Muslims to send to Malaysia, the Myanmar government announced. 

Refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh targeted for trafficking

While the boat was anchored near Ohn Island, Harmet Tu Saung phoned two people from Teknaf in Bangladesh. Three days after the phone call, 14 men and 20 women from Kutupalong, Balukhali, Musoni and Tankhali refugee camps arrived by two boats.

Then, he phoned his mother in Bu May village to collect Muslims to go and work in Malaysia. The total of 27 people, 14 men and 13 women from Saydamagyi, Phwaytagone, Sagangwe, Bawmugaw and Darpain IDP camps in Sittwe Township were then taken to the motorboat.

The Myanmar government on 9 July announced that the 62 people paid MMK 1.7 million (USD 1133) to go to Malaysia illegally.

The motorboat stopped in the early morning of 7 July at about 2a.m. because it ran out of fuel. Then, it was washed away by sea waves when the weather turned bad. The boat got stranded near Myin Lut village in Maungdaw Township. 

A gun and 99 bullets were seized, the crew said they kept the gun for security, the Myanmar government announced.

A Lay Than Kyaw police station has opened a case against crew members and Harmet Tu Saung and his mother Anawar Bagun for abducting people for slave labor. Harmet Tu Suan and the four crew members have also been accused under section 19(f) of the Arms Act.

Thailand Royal police passed on information that Chit Ko was arrested for a drug case in Ranong, Myanmar government said.