179 Families Arrive in Buthidaung for Settlement

Buthidaung: 179 Burman families arrived in Buthidaung on 15 February to settle in two model villages that were recently constructed by the Burmese junta.

One local villager said, "A total of 179 Burman families arrived at Nyung Chaung Village in Buthidaung Township on two ferry ships to settle the two model villages."

The authority named the two model villages Shwe Natala and Shwe Hin Tha. They are located near Nyung Chaung Village in southern Buthidaung Township, 80 miles north of Sittwe.

"The arriving model villages are Burman nationals and they were brought from Rangoon Division. Most of them are women and children," he added.

The authorities confiscated farmland from local farmers and has allocated that property to the new model villagers.

"Many farmers both Rakhine and Kalar (Muslim) lost many farmlands after the authority confiscated land without any compensation. Many farmers were tortured by Nasaka authorities for refusing to transfer their farmland to the government," he said.

The military authority established a Nasaka station at Nyung Chaung Village to provide security for the new Burman settlers, and this Nasaka force confiscated the land from Arakanese farmers.

According to an official source, 180 families are scheduled to settle in the two model villages. One remaining family will join the other settlers from Rangoon at the end of this month.

Many farmers are now landless and facing an uncertain future without a livelihood, the villager said.

Source :http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=2494