Burma: Burma’s security forces seize villagers land

Nasaka, Burma’s border security force confiscated farm lands from Rohingya villagers in Buthidaung Township in Arakan State for maintaining their families and their business.

Personnel from Nasaka Sector No.9 confiscated six acres of farm lands from Habib Hussain (55), son of Abdu Samad, from Taung Bazaar in Buthidaung Township in Arakan , Burma on December 23, 2007, said a close relative of the victim.

The farm lands are near Nasaka Sector No. 9 and they were trying to seize the land for over two years now.

Now, the Nasaka is using people for forced labor from nearby villagers to plough the lands to grow onion, chili, peas, peanuts, beans and egg plants among others.

"I have only these lands, in which all my family members depend. I have six family members, of them two are high school students. My life has become very critical after I lost my land. I have decided to drop my two sons from school and have to take up a job. I don't know how I can support my family, “the owner of a farmland soon.

The ruling junta established Nasaka on September 1, 1992, under the supervision of former Military Intelligence Services (MIS) head Lt. General Khin Nyunt to destroy the Rohingya people socio-economically, said a schoolteacher in Buthidaung town.

The Nasaka knows that 85 per cent of the Rohingya people are farmers. So, the Nasaka has been confiscating Rohingyas' farm lands to cripple them economically. The authorities have been confiscating Rohingya land for model (Natala) villagers, for military camps establishment of rubber plantations, for growing paddy, vegetables and physic nuts, according to villagers.

The confiscation of lands has pushed Rohingya farmers into a landless state. If the policy continues all the Rohigya farmers will become landless in 10 years, said a trader in Buthidaung Township.

Source: Kaladan Press Network