BNI weekly News - 20 July 2003
 
. India raises troops in fight against Northeast militancy and drug trafficking
. 154 Foreigners including Burmese nationals in Bangladeshi jail
. Nasaka border security forces committed series of robbery
. Arakanese Political parties welcome US sanctions on Burma
. ALD (Exile) General Secretary Passed away
. Diaspora Needs Dynamic Leadership
. Forced Conscription in Western Burma
.  Communist Ceasefire Group faces bankruptcy in Burma
. Rohingya welcomes on US approved sanctions on Burma
. Khin U Township NLD members sent to jail
. Two Burmese Refugees Arrested in Kutupalong Camp Over Repatriation
. Burma and Bangladesh held Flag Meeting
. Burma forms paramilitary People’s Army
. Future of the construction of bridges uncertain in western Burma
. Burma-Bangladesh border alert
 
_______________________________________


India raises troops in fight against Northeast militancy and drug
trafficking
July 19, 2003:

The Assam Rifles, one of the major Indian security forces, is likely get a
shot in the arm as the Indian Home Ministry decided to raise eight more
battalions to guard the Indo-Burma border. The move came in the wake of a
spurt in activities by underground rebel groups and an increase in drug
trafficking.
According to sources in the Indian Home Ministry, the existing companies of
the Assam Rifles are not adequate to guard the border, keeping in view of
growing incidents of violence. ”We have decided to strengthen the existing
forces by raising some new battalions”, the sources said.
Asked whether they had set any time frame for the troop enlargement, the
answer was that the entire process would be completed in a phased manner
“probably by 2007”.
The Burmese military Junta is learnt to have constituted a new force –
Pyithu–Sitt (the People’s Army). These forces have been deployed in the
border townships in a bid to contain activities by the Indian ultras.
“It is of paramount importance that our North East frontier should be
properly guarded to foil any attempts by the anti-social elements”, the
Home Ministry sources stated, adding that the Burmese Junta had started to
take stern action against the Northeast militants who are undergoing
training in different camps in Burma. Recent developments in the
relationship between India and Burma are expected to help both countries in
containing militant activities. #
_______________________________
 
154 Foreigners including Burmese nationals in Bangladeshi jail
Dhaka, 19th July 03:
 
There are 154 foreign prisoners lingering in a Bangladeshi jail about one
hundred kilometres southeast to the capital Dhaka. Due to legal
complexities arising from disinclination of the relevant governments their
prison terms have been protracted though their prison terms expired a number
of years ago, reported BSS.
 
Of the total prisoners 76 persons are from Burma, 75 from Thailand, and the
rest three from India. A recently released Burmese prisoner said to
Narinjara that the said Thai prisoners are in fact illegal Burmese workers
who were on board illegal Thai fishing boats when they were arrested on
several occasions.
 
Most foreign prisoners were arrested in connection with illegal entry,
illegal fishing and cross-border smuggling.
 
The jail authorities have sent several letters but the respective
governments have never answered them, the report said. The non-cooperation
on part of the neighbouring governments in this regard has not only delayed
the release of the prisoners but also put extra pressure on the capacity of
the jail authorities to keep them in prison. #
________________________
 
NASAKA COMMITTED SERIES OF ROBBERY
Maungdaw, July 19
 
On 1st July 2003, Nasaka (Border Security Force) troops had looted a shrimp
culture project in Loun Don village of Maungdaw Township, Arakan State,
Burma, said a schoolteacher to our correspondent.
 
It was at 12 midnight that a section of twelve Nasaka personnel, belonging
to Attay Pruma Nasaka camp in Nasaka Area No. (5) went to the said project
in the guise of dacoits and looted cash, shrimps, fishing nets and other
materials worth about Kyat 125,000/-, he further said.
 
Although the project workers had resisted they could not stop the armed
looters.The next morning, the case was reported to the concerned Nasaka
authority, but no action has yet been taken against the culprits, said a
relative to the owner of the project to our source.
 
Earlier, in the dead of night on 13th May 2003, seven Nasaka forces from
Nasaka Area No. (4) of Maungdaw Township, had looted another shrimp farm of U Maung
Than of Ye Twin Pyin ( Kowarbil) village, in Maungdaw north, said a Rakhine
villager to our source.
 
While protesting the armed robbers, three of the watchmen at the project
site received bullet injuries. They were two Rakhines and one Rohingya. But
the Nasaka did not allow all the three wounded to go for medical treatment
lest it might expose their involvement in the crime, he further added.
However, the looters could not take away anything from the shrimp project.
 
The following morning the owner U Maung Than, accompanied by village
chairman and VPDC members, reported the matter to the concerned Nasaka camp
authority, but no action was taken against the culprits, said an
ex-schoolteacher to our source.
 
In another development, on 24th April 2003, Nasaka troops had committed a
robbery at a shrimp farm of Auk Pruma (Kasarbil) village in Maungdaw
Township, said a villager to our correspondent preferring not to mention his
name.
 
On that day, at about 10:00 pm, ten Nasaka personnel belonging to Nasaka
Area No. (5) went to the shrimp farm owned by one Mohamed Zakaria, 57,
pretending themselves as dacoits and looted cash, fishing nets, shrimps,
pots and other fishing materials worth about Kyat 200,000/, the source
further added.
 
During the course of robbery, the Nasaka forces severely beat all those who
were there in the project site, including the watchmen, said another village
old man to our source.
 
The next morning, although the owner of the shrimp culture project had
apprised the concerned Nasaka camp officer of the matter, no action was
taken against the culprits, the source further added. #
__________________________________
 
Arakanese Political parties welcome US sanctions on Burma
Dhaka, 18th July 03
 
Following US House of Representative’s overwhelming vote in favour of
sanctioning Burma, the Arakanese political parties in exile in a statement
dated today welcomed the move.
 
Seven Arakanese political parties representing the Arakanese people welcomed
the 418 – 2 House vote on 15th July 03 that occurred a month after the 97 –
1 Senate vote. They hoped the move would give a strong support to the cause
of restoration of democracy.
 
The economic sanctions against the Burmese junta will only affect a handful
of the workers and the majority people will not be affected, they hoped.
Because the people of Burma have been subjected to the worst kind of
oppressions and repressions by the ruling military junta of Burma
self-styled as State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The interest of
the majority Burmese should be taken into account, while that of the few
junta minions should be disregarded, the statement said.
 
If actions against the SPDC junta are not taken by the world, incidences of
gruesome massacre more horrific than that of the 30th May would soon follow,
it said.
 
Besides the parties called for the international societies including the EU,
ASEAN, Japan and other neighbouring nations to give pressure to the Burmese
junta for restoration of democracy as envisaged by the people in general by
giving full support to the economic sanctions imposed by the US and stopping
all the present relationship with the junta.
 
The signatories of the statement included: Arakan League for Democracy
(Exile), National United Party of Arakan, Arakan Liberation Party, All
Arakan Students and Youths Congress, Rakhine Women’s Union, Arakan Labour
Association, and ROE (Rakhine Overseas in Exile). #
________________________________
 
ALD (Exile) General Secretary Passed away
Dhaka, 18th July 2003
 
A prominent leader of the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) (exile), Khaing
Myo Khaing, passed away at a hospital in Chiang Mai, a northern city of
Thailand, at 4:10am on 18 July 2003. He was 55 years old.
 
He was entrusted with the post of the general secretary of the political
party in exile, which won 11 out of the 26 parliamentary seats in the
Rakhine State in the western part of Burma. Shortly after the general
elections of 1990 whose results the ruling Burmese junta never honoured, the
ALD was banned inside the country.
 
He was admitted to a hospital in Chiang Mai and given medical treatment for
several days to treat the complicacies resulting from his long-suffering.
 
He was elected as the general secretary of ALD (exile) at the third
conference of ALD (exile), while he was in India, in 2001.
 
An amiable man, Khaing Myo Khaing was highly respected by the Arakanese
community (exile) and all political parties here, an ALD spokesman said in
Dhaka. #
__________________________
 
Diaspora Needs Dynamic Leadership
Kanbawza Win
July 18, 2003
 
Now that the NLD has been decapitated with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and senior
NLD leaders are under lock and key, the pro democracy movement inside the
country has been more or less paralyzed. It seems that Burmese people might
as well bite the bullet. One and a half decades of non violent struggle had
produced little or no effect somewhat quite similar to Nazi Hitler where
there is no place for non violence. But hope springs eternal in human breast
and a drowning man will catch a straw. Some of the focus has now shifted to
the three million plus Burmese in Diaspora couple with those who continue to
fight bravely in the peripherals of Burma especially the ethnic
nationalities.
 
U Tin Maung Win, the main architect of amalgamating the causes of the ethnic
nationalities with those of the pro democracy groups has met with an
untimely dead and there is a dearth of leadership outside the country. The
Burmese provisional government better known as National Coalition Government
of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), label “Na Gote” meaning a bull in Burmese,
had been unable to show any substantial result for the entire one and a half
decades. It just echoes the initiatives of the others without any
innovation, incentive or vision and thus has been fittingly named “Na Gote”
 because it just follows the lead of others. The Burmese exiles have
completely lost faith in them.
 
A thorough shake up is necessary that will in co operate the activist,
intelligentsia and young patriots both Burman and ethnic nationalities which
will be able to synchronize with those inside the country. This is a MUST.
The justification that a provisional government must be made up of those
elected members who manage to escape from the clutches of the Junta and
deliberately leave out the activist and the intelligentsia is long gone. It
should consider a more pragmatic approach instead of working as a clique
dominated by the Myanmar (Burman) tribe and those ethnic leaders who are
pro-Burman.
 
The whole idea of the Burmese problem in nutshell must not be lost that
there are two major problems, the pro democracy struggle and the ethnic
nationality autonomy. The very fact that “Na Gote” cannot only organize the
Karenni and the Shan into their fold but even the existing members such as
the Kachin, the Mon and other smaller groups have break away from them and
enter cease fire with the Junta reveals its impotency. This also indicates
that that the provisional government even on paper does not represent a
Pyidaungsu (Union). The situation became worst as the years go by so much
so that that the majority of the armed groups! Has to form their political
wing, an Ethnic Nationalities, Solidarity and Cooperation Committee (ENSCC).
But the worst of all is that the international donors who wanted to see the
Diaspora group to be strong and united lost faith in them and began to cut
down the funds.
 
The international community is looking at the Burmese community in Diaspora
of how Burma will govern itself once democracy is achieved. Confrontation
instead of coordination, jealousies, washing dirty linen in public and
trying to outshine each other and so on proves that we are not fit for
democracy yet and even if we manage to get democracy by somehow with this
kind of mentality we are sure to lose it again as in the days of U Nu.
 
Now “Na Gote” exists only in name with their members airing some media
outlet off and on. Residing in the comforts of the Western world they have
no vision whatsoever as their intellectual and moral bankruptcy can be
compared to that of the Junta. The ousting of Sao Harn Yaungshwe, a think
tank from the “Na Gote” comes out open in the media itself reveal that
something is very, very wrong with the Burmese provisional government. It is
high time that it should be replaced by some tangible leaders so abundant in
the nationalities. We were appalled to learn that none of the “Na Gote”
members have ever contacted the members of the Polit! -Bureau of the Chinese
Communist Party nor ever met the Indian leaders and members of the Central
Policy Analyst, the Indian think tank policy makers. Thus the idea of
playing in the international relations is completely lost e.g. giving bait
to India vis a vis Pakistan (that is selling arms to the Junta) or
contacting North Korea vis a vis South Korea (whose companies are having a
big business in Burma). This explicitly means that “Na Gote” has little or
no contact with the major international players in the Burmese politics that
are so influential on the Junta. So how can it make a move?
 
At this crucial period when the international community is about to take
drastic actions nothing was done by “Na Gote”. We have learnt that US
President George W. Bush is eager to sign the Burmese Freedom and Democracy
Act which was passed by the Senate 94 to1 and the House of Representatives
418 to2 margin. These measures represents a significant policy shift for the
Bush administration, which previously tried to encourage the military to
engage in a dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's ethnic groups and
now they will be pressing the Burmese case at the UN Security Council. The
American U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte had already raised some concerns in
the Council. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, himself did not rule out the
possibility of UN sanctions. In su! ch a scenario we cannot comprehend of
why the so called leaders of the Diaspora “Na Gote” continue to look on with
folded arms?
 
It is lamentable that “Na Gote” had concentrates only on the Western
countries and even then did not know how to lobby in the US congress and the
workings of the American policy. As far as the European Union is concerned
it can only get the support of the Nordic countries and not much on the main
countries as Germany, Italy and France whose companies (such as TOATAL) are
pumping in dollars into the Junta. In short having a nice life in the West
and moving just only in the West while forgetting those in the peripherals
of Burma will not lead us to national liberation. A more dynamic and
activists people should lead. #
_________________________
 
Forced Conscription in Western Burma
Teknaf, 17 Jul. 03
 
Fresh forced conscription into the Burmese Army has been reported from
various townships of Rakhine State in the western part of Burma. Maung Tun
Yein (17) who fled and crossed the border to Bangladesh said that Light
Infantry Battalion 538, at Rathedaung Town, about thirty miles north of
Sittwe – the state capital, has been conducting fresh conscription in and
near his township.
 
He hails from Kodan-gauk village in the southern part of Maungdaw Township
close to the Bangladesh border. Sergeant Major Thaung Myint, Sergeant Tun
Yein, and Sgt Soe Tin of LIB 538 came to Kodan-gauk village on 11th July 03
and forced the village chairman to collect villagers for conscription to the
army.
 
Reports from other parts of the western Burmese state also confirm that
though each of the Burmese army battalions is supposed to have seven hundred
members, there are only 150 to 200 members in average in each of the nearly
sixty battalions across Rakhine State. The Burmese Army has been
desperately trying to fill up the gap, Tun Yein said.
 
Maung Tun Yein said that people are now most reluctant to join the army
because most of the people extremely dislike the life of a soldier unlike in
the past. He also added that though the ruling Burmese military regime
issued orders not to forcefully draft civilians into the armed services,
they have again come up with the much controversial method of coercion in
conscripting civilians into the defence services.
 
Meanwhile the villagers have been forced to offer food and drink to the
members of the Burmese army who came for conducting the conscription as well
as to those who have been newly and forcefully recruited, he said. #
_______________________________________
 
Communist Ceasefire Group faces bankruptcy in Burma
Sittwe, 17th July 03
 
The Burmese Communist Party (Arakan) that signed ceasefire agreement with
the ruling Burmese junta, SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council),
in May 1997 faces bankruptcy in a number of financial ventures.
 
A source in the ceasefire communist group said that the branch office of the
BCP (A) in Rangoon would be withdrawn within October this year because of
financial crunch resulting from a number of the failed economic ventures.
The ruling State Peace and Development Council junta gave the communist
group a house and its compound in Sittwe, the state capital. Besides a
number of shrimp farms including those in Thawing-chhaung, Pauktaw Township,
and Sittwe would also go for sale within this period.
 
The communist group also plans to put to hire or lease the Sittwe bus
terminal, Aero-lux bus service at Pauktaw, tractors at Sittwe, and sandbanks
at Pauktaw in the face of a bankruptcy resulting from a loan of kyat ten
million loan to the Municipal Bank.
 
In 1997, two hundred and eighty active members led by Saw Tun Oo, the
Secretary of the party of the communist party, surrendered their arms and
signed a ceasefire agreement. At the time the Burmese junta offered them
lucrative deals and business houses in Rangoon and in Rakhine State that
included offices in Rangoon and Sittwe, a number of shrimp farms, real
estate business, transport terminals, car sales centres, landed property and
sand centres.
 
The BCP (Arakan) is now headquartered at Aung Ziya Village of Maung Daw
Township and is allowed to carry on its political and economic interests. #
_____________________________________________
 
Rohingya welcomes US approved sanction on Burma
Chittagong, July 17
 
Rohingya people of Arakan State, Burma, welcomes US approved sanctions on
Burma in protest against its recent crackdown on the pro-democracy
opposition, said an exiled NLD member living in Chittagong.
 
The US House of Representatives passed sanctions on 15th July 2003, one
month after the Senate approved the move. It voted 418-2 to ban imports from
Burma, where pro-democracy leader Daw Aung SanSuu Kyi has been detained by
the Burmese military ruling junta since May 30.
 
A prominent Rohingya leader said, the US moves were “ tremendous for the
whole people of the country.”
 
The House bill would limit the import ban to 3 years to address US business
community concerns about the difficulty of lifting sanctions once they have
been imposed.
Burma’s textile and clothing industry is likely to be hardest hit by the
measures, which were welcomed by opposition groups.
Burmar's junta condemned the economic sanctions, describing them as "weapons
of mass destruction" that would create havoc, according to BBC.
The European Union has also imposed tighter sanctions on Myanmar, while the
country's largest donor Japan has suspended new economic aid, according to
AFP, Rangoon.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Randy
Schriver on Wednesday criticised China's stance on Myanmar, saying it was
isolated in its failure to condemn the junta and should use its leverage to
push for change, AFP further added. #
_______________________________
 
Khin U Township NLD members sent to jail
July 17, 2003:

As part of the junta's recent wave of arrests of NLD members in the wake of
the brutal crackdown at Depeyin, two NLD members from Khin U Township were
arrested again the last week, according to close relatives of the victims.
NLD members Ko Myo Aung and U Tin Myint from Khin U Township, Sagaing
Division, were convicted to two and three years imprisonment respectively by
the Township court and sent to Shwe Bo prison.
Ko Myo Aung is a ex-member of Student Union and an NLD organizer. He was
arrested by military intelligence because a one-dollar banknote was found in
his shirt.
U Tin Myint is an executive member of the Township NLD in Khin U and a
villager from Kuan Thaing village. He was arrested by military intelligence
when some political documents were found in his house.
Dr. Win Tin, an NLD member of NLD who had co-organised Aung San Suu Kyi's
trip from Khin U Township was arrested in the Dipeyin crack-down. #
____________________________________
 
Two Refugees Arrested in Kutupalong Camp Over Repatriation
Ukhia , 16 July 2003
 
Two registered Rohingya refugees from Kutupalong Camp were sent to Cox's
Bazar District Jail for not signing Voluntary Repatriation Form, said a
refugee leader from the camp.
 
They are Jamal Hossain (a refugee teacher), son of Abu Taher, Myanmar
Refugee Card (MRC) No. 41666, Shed No. 27/3 and Moulana Mohammad Islam (a
religious leader), son of Mohammad Sultan, MRC No. 19916, Shed No. 199/1, he
further said.
 
They were charged under Section 14 of the Foreigners Registration Act 1946
and other criminal offence. The case against them was registered with Ukhia
Police Station and the case number is 6 and GR# 90/03, according to a source
from Ukhia Police Station. The camp authorities alleged that the two
refugees were involved in anti-repatriation activities and were found living
outside the camp, he further said.
 
According to inmates of the refugee camp the two refugees are innocent. They
were arrested from their sheds in the camp. They were mercilessly beaten
while in the custody of the Refugee Camp Police, said another refugee leader
from the camp. Immediately after arrest, the UNHCR Protection Assistant
Officer Ms. Joinab Begum asked the Camp-in-Charge Mohammad Yasin to release
them on the ground that they were innocent. But her request was rejected
saying that the two refugees were involved in anti-repatriation campaign and
the arrest was recommended by UNHCR Field Assistant Mohammad Islam, he
further added.
 
The refugees also allege that Bangladeshi local UNHCR staffs are partly
responsible for forced repatriation. Earlier the local UNHCR staff Mohammad
Islam was caught red-handed while trying to traffic two refugee children
from Kutupalong camp. Being a near relative of the children Moulana Mohammad
Islam had protested the action and complained against the said UNHCR staff,
but no action was taken against him, said a relative of the victims.
 
A Rohingya refugee leader from Khutupalong camp said, "we want to be ensured
the right to voluntary repatriation." He also appealed to international
community through news media for an immediate solution of their
long-standing problem and demanded immediate release of Burmese opposition
leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. #
____________________________
 
Burma and Bangladesh held Flag Meeting
Maungdaw, 16th July 03:
 
On 6th and 7th July the border police forces of Burma and Bangladesh met at
Aung-yeik-tha Hall, three miles east of the Burmese border town of Maungdaw,
on the Naaf River that serves as the common border of the two countries,
sources in the Nasaka Border Security Police said.
 
Brigadier Aung Ngwe, the commander-in-chief of the Nasaka border security
police in Rakhine State in the western part of Burma, attended the flag
meeting. He was leading an eleven-member group in the talks. From the
Bangladesh side Brigadier Sheikh Muhammad Mahmudur Islam, the chief of the
Chittagong area BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) led the team of eight members who
attended the round of talks.
 
In the flag meeting the Burmese side asked for a solution and end to the
anti-Burmese junta rebel groups operating from inside Bangladesh. On the
other hand the Bangladeshi side demanded a solution to the large scale
smuggling from Burma and prevention of continual infiltration of the
“Bengali-speaking” Burmese nationals into Bangladesh.
 
They also discussed the way to prevent the spread of deadly SARS virus by
introducing compulsory medical examination of the travellers on both sides
of the border.
 
On the 7th July evening the two commanders played golf at the Mayu golf
course at Maungdaw before Brigadier Islam’s return, he added. #
____________________________________________
 
Burma forms paramilitary People’s Army
Sittwe, 15th July 03:
 
The ruling SPDC junta of Burma has begun formation of a civil defence force
named as Pyithu-seik (People’s Army) as a preparatory measure for a
‘possible war’, as feared by the junta, from last month. From a number of
townships in the western Burmese state of Rakhine reports have confirmed the
formation of paramilitary force named as Pyithu-seik or People’s Army in
recent weeks.
 
Alerting the people of an ‘imminent war’, without any clear definition made
to what war it is, the junta officials have already conscripted two hundred
and twenty full-time members of the People’s Army and four hundred and forty
part-time members from 22 village tracts in Kyaukpru Township alone.
Kyaukpru is situated about 100 miles south of Sittwe (Akyab), the capital of
Rakhine state.
 
Reports from other townships also confirm the fact that a new People’s Army
is in the making in the island township of Rambree, where one hundred and
twenty full-time members and two hundred and forty part-time members have
been conscripted. At present the newly recruited paramilitary forces are
being duly given military training.
 
In the border township of Maungdaw also the people’s army operating under
the Nasaka border security forces composing of Muslim members have been
reorganized by the inclusion of Rakhine Buddhist members.
 
In each of the village tracts in Rakhine State orders have been issued to
recruit at least thirty People’s Army members to this effect.
 
On his recent visit to Bangladesh the Burmese foreign minister U Win Aung
handed over a letter to the Bangladesh prime minister. Burma sought
assurance from Bangladesh in the letter that the land, air or sea of
Bangladesh will not be allowed for use by any country for military purpose
against Burma, the Daily Star reported on 7th July.
 
The conscription has caused wide dissatisfaction among the farmers of the
seventeen townships of the western Burmese state who in this rice season
have been unable to do their regular farming due to the military training
they have to undergo, a village leader who wanted to remain unnamed said. #
________________________________________
 
Future of the construction of bridges uncertain in western Burma
Maungdaw, 15th July 03
 
The future of the construction of bridges in western Burma has become
uncertain due to the stoppage of Japanese aid to Burma, sources in the local
administration said.
 
In Maungdaw Township, bordering with the southeastern part of Bangladesh, a
number of bridges have been under construction utilizing Japanese aid
offered by the BAJ (Bridge Asia Japan), a Japanese NGO. The bridges would
link the detached sections of the proposed Sittwe – Maungdaw road, which may
later be used as link between Bangladesh and Rangoon.
 
The construction of the bridge number 64 at Kyauk-pan-du in Maungdaw
Township was supposed to be finalized by signing an agreement by the BAJ and
the ministry of foreign affairs, Japan, this month. But due to the
suspension of Japanese aid to Burma the project has become uncertain. The
plan of the construction of the bridge numbered 87 at Aang-daung (Inn-din)
in the southern part of Maungdaw Township, too, has become uncertain
 
Since June 26 last the Government of Japan has stopped its ODA assistance to
Burma as a stern measure against Burmese junta SPDC’s action against the
National League for Democracy, the majority opposition party of Burma, by
imprisoning its popular leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Japan vowed not to
offer any assistance until and unless the Burmese opposition leader is freed
from imprisonment. #
____________________________________
 
BURMA-BANGLADESH BORDER ALERT
Taungbro (Maungdaw) 15 July 2003
 
From last week of June 2003, the border security forces of both Burma and
Bangladesh are on alert all along the border due to possible sporadic fresh
influx of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh, according to our correspondent.
 
At present, about 80 Rohingya families, most of whom were repatriated
refugees from Bangladesh have, in their attempt to cross the border to
Bangladesh, gathered in a bordering village of Taungbro Left in Nasaka
Sector No.3. After repatriation, they are not properly rehabilitated in
their original places and are denied the right to own their lands and
properties, sources said.
 
The returnees are living under constant threat of the authorities, who are
accusing the Rohingyas of Bangladeshis, while creating impossible situation
for them to continue a peaceful living in their own homeland, a VPDC member
said. Now they are in complete despair over the recent arrest of Burmese
democracy leader Daw Suu Kyi, he further added.
 
Most of these uprooted families are from Taungbazar area of Buthidaung
township and Tamintha area of Maungdaw Township. Restriction on paddy
cultivation, price hike of essentials, land confiscation, forced taxation,
forced labor and humiliating restriction on their movement even within the
same locality are some of the root causes of their displacement, source
further said.
 
During the recent weeks, some of these internally displaced people had
entered into Bangladesh. Of them about 20 newcomers were arrested by
Bangladesh Border security Forces (BDR) and were sent to jail. On the other
hand, the Nasaka is dispersing the gathering of such uprooted people on
their side of the border, another source said. #
_______________________________________________________________
 
Burma News International (BNI) is a network of six Independent Burma Media
organizations: The Mizzima News, The Narinjara News, the Kaladan Press
Network, the Khonumthung News Group, the Network Media Group and the
Independent Mon News Agency.#