A Thandwe village faces eviction, villagers ask more time

Narinjara News, 23 July 2022

The Myanmar military council has insisted a village under Thandwe township, located at southern part of Rakhine State, to shift as it is allegedly occupying army-owned land.

Thephyu Chai Jaithar (Pon Nyet) village near the sea beach with  50 house-holds (around 300 population of fishermen) faces the eviction notice from the authorities by today itself.

The villagers claimed that they have been living there since long back and the army authority is now pressuring them to vacate the place as the land belongs to the navy dive and rescue corps.

According to the village administrator, the  navy dive and rescue corps  asked them to leave their village by 23  July, but the villagers are not agreeing to it. Now the authorities are planning to
move everyone by 15 September next.

"Now we have two more months before leaving this place. We are facing problems because of rainy days. Our appeal is to extend the dateline a little bit,” said a villager.

The villagers have been asked to move to the top of Asein Ma mountain, which is about five  miles away from the present location, but the authorities have not extended any financial support to them

Moreover, there is no school for the children, no drinking water, lack of healthcare facilities and also far away from the sea where they have to go for fishing activities and hence the villagers are reluctant to move the place.

Since  January this year, the authorities have sent notices at least  five times asking the villagers to leave the place as the government is planning for an important project there.