BURMA NEWS INTERNATIONAL


13 November 2004

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* Business catches up with politics

 

* Unofficial Makeshift Refugee Camp in Teknaf Relocated to Dhomdomia

 

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Business catches up with politics

 

Shan Herald Agency for News

November 13, 2004

 

Two weeks after Gen. Khin Nyunt and his associates were "permitted to

retire," business has almost returned to normal in northern Shan

State, reports Hawkeye from the border:

 

"Business is picking up again," replies a shopkeeper from Muse,

opposite Yunnan province's Ruili, to S.H.A.N.'s query, "with more dust

(meaning heroin) leaving for China than the pills (meaning

methamphetamines) and at a good price too."

 

The price of low-quality yaba (methamphetamines) remains high, 70,000

kyat per 200-pill bag, since the flap that followed Khin Nyunt's

abrupt dismissal, while heroin is 33,000 yuan ($4,125), much to the

delight of the traders, he says. The high-quality yaba, meanwhile,

remains stable, around 100,000 kyat ($100) per bag.

 

Kickbacks for all commodities also remain the same as before, he

claims. "The only difference is that the new guys on the landscape are

the police instead of the MI (Military Intelligence) people".

 

The rate of pay-offs has not gone down with the departure from the

scene of the MI either, at least in the case of casino operators, says

another source. "The cut for the MI now goes to the military

commanders here."

 

Along the Thai border, the refineries, closed after Khin Nyunt's

ouster, are reopened and functioning as "usual," reports an insider

source, who remarks, "Now, we can believe that, with or without Khin

Nyunt, life does go on."

 

A transcript of a speech given by Secretary-1 Lt-Gen. Thein Sein, then

commander of the Kengtung-based Triangle Region Command, given on May

9, 2001 in Mongla, says, "I was in Mongton and Monghsat for two weeks.

Very friendly with U Way Shauk Kan (Wei Hsuehkang) and U Pao Youyi

(Bao Youri, elder brother of Bao Youxiang) from the Wa group."

 

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Unofficial Makeshift Refugee Camp in Teknaf Relocated to Dhomdomia

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KALADAN NEWS

Date: Friday, November12, 2004

 

Teknaf, November 12: The unofficial makeshift refugee camp of Teknaf,

Bangladesh, was relocated completely to a new place close to the

Dhomdomia BDR check post in Teknaf Town Oct. 28, according to Deen

Mohammed, a refugee leader at the camp.

 

This unofficial camp of Teknaf, a border town close to Burma, set up

on private land after an army operation against illegal Rohingya

immigrants in bordering areas in early 2003, he added.

 

On Oct. 19, the deputy commissioner (DC) of Cox’s Bazar went to Teknaf

to observe the situation of the refugees, especially regarding

security and health. Afterwards, he ordered  the refugees to transfer

to Dhomdomia, a new place about 6 kilometers north of Teknaf on the

west bank of the Naf River, close to the BDR check post.

Transportation costs were borne by refugees themselves, said Mohamed

Sidique, another refugee leader from the makeshift camp.

 

The refugees were compelled to evacuate the land due to frequent

attacks on the camp by local gangsters, engaged by the landowner to

harass refugees by various means such as hurling stones, robbery, and

raping refugee women and young girls, etc. deprived of help for their

security from any quarter, he added.

 

About 10,000 Burmese Rohingya refugees from 926 families are living at

the unofficial camp at Dhomdomia village without any help, said Ayub,

an Imam of the refugee camp.

 

Due to lack of hygienic maintenance, children are dying of diarrhea

and malaria attacks, while many elders suffer bronchial asthma,

tuberculosis and malnutrition, he added.

 

When contacted, a UNHCR spokesperson at their Cox’s Bazar Office

said, “Today is a holiday, We have no information about the new

refugee influx.”

 

When asked about the arrival of new refugees, Salim, a refugee leader,

said, “There is no new arrival of refugees in our camp and I have no

information about a new influx of refugees, but occasionally one or

two families cross the Burma-Bangladesh border to take refuge in

Bangladesh. Most of them are victims of forced taxation or forced

relocation etc.”

 

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Burma News International is a network of nine exiled media groups

such as Mizzima News, Shan Herald Agency for News, Kao Wao News Group,

Khonumthung News Group, Narinjara News, Kaladan Press Network,

Independent Mon News Agency, Karenni Information

Network Group and Network Media Group.

 

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Burma News International

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