KALADAN NEWS

Date: Saturday, October 23, 2004

 

Local Group Attempts to Destroy Burmese refugee camp in Bangladesh

 

Teknaf, October 23: A group of Bangladeshi youth in Teknaf town made and attempt to destroy the unofficial Rohingya refugee camp on 19th October 2004, said Salim from the camp.

 

This unofficial camp is situated at Teknaf border town of Bangladesh close to Burma, was set up after an army operation against illegal Rohingya immigrants in bordering areas in early 2003.

 

On 8th October 2004, Teknaf local youths backed by some elderly people formed a committee named the “Voluntary Committee for Illegal Rohingya Immigrants (VCIRI)” to drive out the refugees from Teknaf makeshift camp that consists of 40 local youths. The said committee forbids refugees to go out of the camp for works for their livelihood and watch the refugee camp by routine the whole day and night, he further added.

 

On 15th October 2004, a local NGO named  Integrated Humanitarian Approach” (IHA) went to the Teknaf Makeshift camp to distribute some relief but the members of the said committee opposed it, said a worker of IHA who declined to mention his name.

 

However, the NGO was allowed to distribute relief such as blankets, lamps, plastic and mats to the refugees after a negotiation with aforesaid local group. The same day, at night, most of the refugees lost their relief goods to robbers of the local gang that opposed the NGO, he further said.

 

In addition, NGO paid Tk 100 each for 40 laborers who unloaded the relief goods from truck. These laborers were forced to pay 50 percent of the money to the local committee, he continued.

 

This group also attacked the refugees by various means including hurling stones at makeshift camp and destroyed many to commit robbery. Many refugees were injured and lost their properties. Local goons on the said camp made similar attacks for many times, as there is no security for them from any quarters, said a refugee from the makeshift camp.

 

On 18th October, another attempt was taken by the said group to evacuate the land. Resultantly, about 50-60 families left the makeshift camp by 3 trucks to find a safety place near Kutupalong official camp, hoping to have a bit security and cooperation from inmates, he added.

 

According to an official refugee from Kutupalong camp, the refugees landed at a place of Ghundum Television tower near Kutupalong camp. On hearing the message of the event of refugees, Officer-in-Charge of Ukhiya Sub-district (UNO) rushed to the spot together with Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and police. UNO sent back the refugees to Teknaf where the refugees were staying in the open sky on the roadsides the whole night.

 

On 19th October 2004, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Cox’s Bazar went to Teknaf to see the situation and ordered to the refugees to transfer to Dhomdomia, a place of about 6 kilometers north of Teknaf, the west bank of the Naf River and nearby place of Dhomdomia BDR check post, said a villager from the Dhomdomia village.

 

On the way to Teknaf from Ghundum, a refugee child was dead of diarrhea on 19th October, while a refugee woman gave birth to a baby, he further added.

 

About 7,000 refugees are living at a makeshift camp of Teknaf without any helps from any quarters. In their poor condition, their children are dying of diarrhea and malaria attacks, while many are fighting for their lives.

 

After the last attack of 15th October 2004, this camp is divided into 2. One of them exists at the same place in Teknaf and the other one is on the way to Teknaf, near Dhomdomia BDR Check post. ##

 

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