Kaladan News

Dated: Tuesday, December 23, 2003

MOVE TO DESTROY CENTURIES OLD VILLAGE FOILD

Maungdaw, Dec. 23: On December 11, 2003, local women and students foiled on attempt to destroy centuries old village in the city’s predominantly Rohingya Muslims area of Myo Ma Kayan Dan (Shikdar Para) village of Maungdaw town in Arakan State, after clashes between police and village women and students, according to our correspondent.

On the said day, the Maungdaw Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) Chairman Captain Hla Pho accompanied by some policemen went to the Myo Ma Kayan Dan village to evacuate 26 houses. While the policemen were trying to destroy one of the houses, some students from nearby State High School of Maungdaw Town and women from the village put up a resistance, resulting in a series of pitched battles between the two sides. The police later fled the scene. A woman, Somira Begum was slightly injured in the clash, he further added.

Knowing the situation of clash, more policemen came from their camp to the spot as reinforcement. As a result, more students nearby high school joined the clash. Due to mass involvement of students in the clash, police and SPDC authorities could not dare anymore in their evacuate program and retreat to their camp, said another villager who is a victim of relocation.

The next day, the village PDC Chairman together with some villagers was called to the Township PDC Office to resolve the problem. But, the out come of the office is still unknown, he further said.

We, as human beings we have the rights to stay in our village. Despite rehabilitation, they forced us into the streets to demolish our society, said a woman who is participated in the clash.

Another religious leader said,” The eviction of the houses is maltreatment against Rohingyas. Confiscation of Rohingya lands and uprooting of their centuries old settlements are nothing but and attempt to destroying the economic bases of the Rohingya people.”

Though the concerned authority had ordered to vacate these houses in August 2002, these villagers could manage to get continuous stay permit there after bribing some money.

In the same way, on June 14, 2003, the Maungdaw Township PDC Chairman ordered to evacuate said 26 dwelling houses. But, no instruction was given from government side about the compensation or alternative site for their resettlement.