Narinjara News, 9 March 2022

The Muslim IDP camp of  Kyaukphyu, second largest city of Arakan (Rakhine), has been demolishedwith an aim to rebuild as avillage, said U Hla Thein, a spokesman of Rakhine State council.

Speaking to reporters in his office on Wednesday, he added that the camp would be converted into a  village on humanitarian grounds.

The Kyaukphyu IDP camp was set up by the Muslims who fled from the (Pike Sit) fishing ward duringthe  communal violence that broke outin 2012. Presently the camp is giving shelter to over 1,530 people.

An inmate of the camp claimed that the construction would  mean that the Muslim refugees have no right tolive in their original places.

The government decision came after almost ten years of the camp to support the  Muslim refugees.

U Maung Ni, the administrator of Kyauktalone ward, informed that the authority wants to erase the name ofthe IDP camp. It will be a villageor a ward in Kyaukphyu township, he added. At this moment, there is no name planned for the newvillage.

Till date, three dormitories have been built, where one is for the education purpose and the other two forhealth workers and necessary medicinesto be made available in a dispensary. The houses will be erected very soon for the benefit of people.

U Pho San, a former Rakhine State assembly representative from Kyaukphyu, said that it would be nice if the refugeescould have a better place to live,as they all are human beings. If the authority is planning that way, it’s a  welcome move.

There are allegations that the government was planning to dismantle all IDP camps in Rakhine State andreconstruction of the Kyaukphyu Muslimrefugee’s camp is under the same strategy.

Accordingly to reliable sources, over 100,000 Muslim refugees are presently taking shelter in RakhineState following the 2012  communal unrest.