KALADAN NEWS

Dated: June 15, 2005

A VPDC Chairman becomes Landlord in Northern Arakan

Taungbro, Burma, June 15: Recently, a VPDC Chairman in Maungdaw, northern part of Arakan becomes landlord with huge acres of refugees’ and public land, said villager from Taungbro, preferring not to mention his name

The Village Peace and Development Council Chairman or VPDC Chairman is identified as Abdul Qayum, 36, son of Late Maulovi Rashid Ahmed, hailing from Taungbro Right under Nasaka Sector area No. 3 of Maungdaw Township, he further said.

The VPDC Chairman of Taungbro Right has been seizing over 100 acres of land, after the owners took refuge in Bangladesh in 1991-1992. Although, the refugees went back to their homes and the Nasaka officials did not return their land properties, said, an elderly Rohingya, who has close relation with Nasaka officials.

The VPDC officials have been enjoying all kinds of benefits and profits of refugees’ lands with the collaboration of Nasaka officials, he added.

Due to raising of many questions from the land owners (repatriated refugees), Nasaka officials invited tenders of these lands from VPDC Chairmen in secret ways. Later, Nasaka provided all the lands to the VPDC Chairman Abdul Qayum and has become a landlord of the area.

Now, the owners are being threatened by Nasaka for their previous queries of land properties, who are reportedly ordered either to borrow from Qayum or to vacate the places where they are staying at present, said a repatriated refugee who declined to mention his name.

It may be mentioned that the said Abdul Qayum surrendered to State Law & Order Restoration Council (SLORC/SPDC) in 1989 with a group of more than 20 rebellion members from Bangladesh and became an agent of the military ruler maintaining his best performance. So, he has been appointed as Chairman of Taungbro Right from 1992 to oppress and repress the general people of the area.

Most of the people of the village were compelled to leave their home and took refuge in Bangladesh during the main refugee influx of 1991-1992. Though bulk of the refugees returned home, they are deprived of their rights to be owner of land and properties. At the same time, young people are continuously leaving their homes in order to escape conspiracy against them.

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