Miscommunication & Fear of Child Abduction lead to Beatings of Journalists in Rohingya Camps
News Desk:
Fear of Child abduction lead to the beatings of four Journalists, including three Germans and a Bangladeshi by Rohingyas at Lombasiha of Kutupalong Rohingya makeshift camp under Ukhiya upazila in Cox’s Bazar yesterday (21st February 2019), reports a Rohingya from the scene.
The three German journalists were in the camp to film a story on Rohingya children and following that they took few children in their van to buy those toys and gifts to the market.
In the market, few nearby Rohingya saw the children in the van in crying state and when the children were interrogated, children did not answer as they were just crying in fear of interaction with unknown people.
After seeing the children’s behavior, Rohingya men came into a worrying state and thought they were being abducted, which is very common in Rohingya camps nowadays.
Following the misunderstanding, those Rohingya men started to beat the journalists, which turned their fear into a tragic incident. In the incident, a Bangladeshi police constable was also injured.
Injured German Journalists were identified to be Youcho Lyoli, Astatu Apal, and Grands Stafo. Injured Bangladeshi journalist Mohammad Sihabuddin is head of the production of private Television channel Boishakhi.
According to locals, all of the injured were seen to be headed to a nearby clinic by the Bangladeshi officilas and are under treatment.
Child abduction and trafficking is a common crime in Rohingya camps and due to that fear Rohingya are seen to be over cautious for their children’s safety.
Since the Rohingya’s arrival in late 2017, hundreds of Rohingya children were abducted and trafficked by different trafficking syndicates and till today many such cases are unveiled, where parents still wait to know whether their child is alive or not.