Maungdaw, Arakan State: On January 26,the Maungdaw Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC), or MaYaKa (in Burmese) Chairman ordered villagers of Maungdaw Township to pay Kyat 30,000 per acre of arable land, which were seized for Natala villagers in May 2009 by Nasaka, said a local farmer on condition of anonymity.
Last year in May about 750 acres of arable land were seized from Arakanese Rohingya villagers to distribute to Natala villagers. The authority seized 250 acres from Kawar Bill village tract including Wabeg village, 200 acres from Khadir Bill village, and 300 acres from Baggona village of Maungdaw Township.
The seized lands were distributed to the Natala (Model) villagers after confiscation from Arakanese Rohingya farmers to grow paddy. But, they have no knowledge of tilling or to grow paddy so, they tried to lend it to Arakanese Rohingya farmers. They do not want to work and try to loot goods and cattle from Arakanese Rohingya villagers with the backing of the police, Nasaka, army and Sarapa (Military Intelligence).
Earlier, the Natala villagers were given farm land by the concerned authority, which were also confiscated from Arakanese Rohingya farmers. The lands were also lent to Arakanese Rohingyas farmers to grow paddy. They would get money or paddy from Arakanese Rohingya farmers by lending the arable land, said another farmer from the locality.
In May 2009 too, the concerned authority again seized farm lands from Arakanese Rohingya people and distributed to Natala villagers.
The Natala villagers tried to lend their land to the Arakanese Rohingya farmers to grow paddy, but they rejected the offer. So, the Natala villagers complained to the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) Chairman of Maungdaw Township.
The TPDC Chairman ordered the Arakanese Rohingya villagers to take lands from Natala villagers to grow paddy on behalf of Natala villagers, but Arakanese Rohingya farmers did not comply with the order.
Later, the TPDC Chairman returned the seized lands to the owners. So, the owners were able to grow paddy in their paddy field in time. The villagers were happy because they got back their land. After which there was no problem regarding the seized lands, said a local schoolteacher who refused to be named.
Suddenly, on January 26, the TPDC Chairman of the Maungdaw Township ordered villagers through the local Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairmen to pay Kyat 30,000 per acre to the TPDC office. Villagers were surprised hearing the order of TPDC Chairman of Maungdaw, said a local elder.
One of the land owners said, “We have no money so we did not comply with the order. If the authority wishes to seize it again, we are ready to hand it over. ”
A local farmer said, “Burma has become a lawless country as the authorities do what they want to.”
Recently, the Maungdaw TPDC Chairman also ordered villagers of Maungdaw Township not to produce salt from saline water affected lands because of scarcity of paddy growing lands which affects many shrimp project owners. Many shrimp projects will be destroyed. The military junta earns lots of foreign exchange by exporting shrimps to foreign countries, said a shrimp owner.
