Rohingya who faced difficulties cultivating rice from instability resulting from sectarian violence are being forced to hand over whatever they could grow to the army in Rathedaung Township. Soldiers have been stealing their small harvest since the third week of December, according to one villager who didn’t want their name used for fear of reprisal.
“The armies collected 35 kg per acre from the villagers,” said the villager. The land used to be owned by Rohingya but the army took it and then rented it back to the farmers at extorted rates. The farmers estimate that 200 acres of arable lands was seized in Tha Pay Taw in Rathedaung Township. They say the same thing is happening to other Rohingyas and Rakhine farmers in eastern Rathedaung Township.
