“Half the 4959 houses to be donated will be built in Pauktaw and the rest in six townships in Rakhine State. In Sittwe, 500 big huts will be built as well. The huts don’t matter, but if houses are built, land ownership issues will ensue. It would constitute giving them plots of land without scrutinising their citizenship. That is why we object.”
Monday, 18 March 2013 A plan to build 5000 homes for displaced members of the Rohingya community in Rakhine State has sparked a series of demonstrations. Protesters say the plan, which has been proposed by the Turkish NGO TIKA, could allow the Rohingya to own land in disputed areas.
Thousands of people defied police warnings to take to the streets in Sittwe, Kyauktaw and Mrauk-Oo on March 7 to voice discontent. Two activists were arrested, but released the same evening.
Last year, hundreds of people were killed and more than 100,000 displaced in outbreaks of violence between Buddhist and Muslim communities in Rakhine State.
U Kyaw Zaw, who led about 10,000 demonstrators in Sittwe, told The Myanmar Times: “Half the 4959 houses to be donated will be built in Pauktaw and the rest in six townships in Rakhine State. In Sittwe, 500 big huts will be built as well. The huts don’t matter, but if houses are built, land ownership issues will ensue. It would constitute giving them plots of land without scrutinising their citizenship. That is why we object.”
U Kyaw Zaw said Sittwe township police had turned down their application to demonstrate, so they submitted it to the state government, which had summoned them to answer questions, he said.
“The state government doesn’t handle matters relating to permission to build 5000 separate houses but the Ministry of Progress of Border Areas and National Races does, they say. However they didn’t deny officially that they had accepted the offer. They threatened us with legal action if we demonstrated.”
But demonstrations took place in the three townships to demand the enforcement of the 1982 citizenship law. On March 7, activists Kyaw Zaw Oo and Daw Nyo Aye were arrested, but were released on bail within hours, said U Kyaw Zaw Oo.
Translated by Thit Lwin http://mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/5171-rakhine-protesters-fight-against-planned-rohingya-housing.html
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