Maungdaw, Arakan State: The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) of the Burmese military junta has been increasing army deployment on the Burma-Bangladesh border with heavy guns ahead of the bilateral meeting in January on the maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal. It is also restricting the movement of the Rohingya community severely, said a close aide of the Nasaka.
The Burmese government is still tense over gas and oil exploration in Bay of Bengal after failing to resolve the issue between the two countries.
According to sources, the concerned authorities, especially Nasaka and army called some Rohingya elders including village Peace and Development Council ( VPDC) members and held a meeting in Nasaka area No.3 and 5 on December 26. In the meeting they declared the following points. They are as follows:
1. There is no permission to put up any fence surrounding the house.
2. There is no permission to keep women indoors and get out of the house and doing work with male and keeping the women indoor, the economic of the country down falls day by day.
3. All the documents of lands will be handed over to concerned authority.
4. Within ten days, Rohingya Muslims must build a road of a length of 3.5 kilometer from Taungbro sub-town under the Maungdaw Township.
5. Three sacks of rice bag (a bag =50 kg) from every household will be deposited to the concerned Nasaka camp within one month.
6. Besides, Rohingya villagers will pay toll when the concerned authority asks them to pay. If any one fails to abide by the above points, he/she must leave the country. These are orders of the SPDC.
In 1991-92, many Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh due to persecution by the ruling military junta. After an agreement between two countries, most of the refugees had been repatriated with the commitment of returning their lands. But, after arrival at Arakan State, the authorities did not return their land and the returnees were severely persecuted. As a result, most of the refugees returned to Bangladesh.
At present, the Burmese ruling junta have invited new Buddhist settlers from Burma proper and settled them in north Arakan after seizing lands from Rohingya villagers. For these reasons, Rohingya have become homeless and land less in their own country, said a trader. ##
