Refugees go on strike in Nayapara camp

Teknaf, Bangladesh: Refugees in Nayapara camp went on strike today to protest the kicking of a woman refugee by a doctor while she was queuing for medicine at a clinic in the camp. Her father was also severely beaten up by a younger brother of the doctor, said one of the refugees from the camp.

Today, at about 10 am, a woman refugee named Kayenis Fatema (22), daughter of Noor Mohamed, MRC # Z-1720, Shed # 980 and Room # 5, of Nayapara camp went to the Medical Team Leader (MTL), run by the Bangladesh government in the camp. She queued up for a long time to get medicines from the doctor. She was very weak because of delivery recently. After a long time in the queue, when she was unable to stand any longer, she asked her father to come in her place in the queue.

Her father requested the duty doctor Saifullah to give medicine to his daughter as she was very weak and was unable to stand in the queue. The doctor got angry, and kicked his daughter after coming out of the room. His daughter fell to the ground and a quarrel ensued between the doctor and the father of the victim. In protest all the patients went to their sheds without taking medicine from the clinic.

After a while, Hamid, the younger brother of Doctor Saifullah, went to the shed of the victim’s father Mohamed Noor (45), son of Md. Khasim. MRC # 5834 Shed # 980, Room # 3 and E-Block. He was dragged to the medical clinic after being beaten up severely. Hamid works in the clinic. However, other refugees rescued him from Hamid, said another refugee of the camp.

Protesting women refugees gathered in the camp and marched to the clinic and shouted “We do not want such a clinic and doctors”. Hearing hue and cry, police from the camp rushed to the spot and dispersed the refugees.

The victims also complained to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Camp-in Charge, said a relative of the victim.

Besides, on March 2, five Rohingyas were arrested from Teknaf border area and pushed back to Burma from Shapuri Dip by Bangladesh Rifles. They were Rohingyas, who recently crossed the border, said a local from Shapuri Dip.

Today, about 30 refugees including those from registered and unregistered camps of Nayapara and Leda were arrested by BDR of Dum Dum Mia check post while they were going to Teknaf in a micro-bus. It is not known whether they were sent to jail or sent back to their camps said a refugee from Teknaf.

Source :http://www.kaladanpress.org/v3/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2456:refugees-go-on-strike-in-nayapara-camp&catid=118:march-2010&Itemid=2

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