Kaladan News
Dated:
MOVE TO DESTROY
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
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