Resettles over 130-Buddhist from Bangladesh

Sunday, February 03, 2013 

Internally displaced people in Myanmar sheltering in Shwe Zayti monastery, Sittwe, after being dislodged from their homes in Rakhine. Photo: OCHA/Gemma Connell 

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Burmese government – Maungdaw district administration office and Township administration office - has resettled over 130 Buddhist from neighboring Bangladesh, are being resettled in Maungdaw Township, Arakan State recently, according to a local villager who denied to be named.  

“Local authorities had welcomed 133-member of 44- family of Buddhist people - Rakhine, Maramagyi (Baroa) - hailed from Bandarban district of Bangladesh.  They are from Mosoni Para and Aye Maung Para of Bandarban, Bangladesh.”

The new comers were organized by some Rakhines from Arakan State to go to Arakan State luring them will  get many facilities in Arakan from government and local Rakhine community. The new comers are poor people, said another local villager.   

On 2nd January, 25-family and on 29th January 19-family crossed the Bangladesh- Burma border through Lemosari point (land border), said the villager quoting the new comers.  

Of them 12 families were resettled at Zeadi Pyin village of Lone Done Village tract of Maungdaw north and the rest were also resettled in other Natala or Model villages, said a trader from Lone Don Village.   

State government provides them homes and two acres of farmland to each household which were confiscated earlier from Rohingya villagers for Natala villagers. They would be provided cows and rickshaws in future, the trader more added.  

Newcomers were first being sheltered at a Buddhist monastery in Maungdaw town, where they received assistance from government before being transferred to the Natala villages of Maungdaw north.  

On January 28, many Sayadaw (Buddhist monks) of Maungdaw Town went to Lone Done village tract to encourage them. In future, more Bangladeshi Rakhine, Baroa and Thet will go to Arakan from Bangladesh, said a Rohingya leader Maungdaw Town.

Local Rohingya villagers fear that there will be more harassment by thesecurity forces regarding the new settlers. The authority will also seize many lands from Rohingya villagers to provide them. 

Source KPN