Rakhine natural gas exported to China, but no proper shelter to local refugees

Narinjara News, 27 April 2023

The military council continues exporting natural gas from Rakhine State to China for billions of US dollars every year, but it is pathetic that the Rakhine refugees still do not have proper shelters, said a student living in a refugee camp of Buthidaung.

"The situation is really very bad. We the Arakanese IDPs have no proper arrangement, but the government is earning a huge amount of money for Rakhine gas supply to China,” added the student, who did not want to be named.

Mentionable is that the Myanmar military rulers earned US$ 1.46 billion against Rakhine gas export to China in the 2022 fiscal year. But the  money has not been allocated for the development of local Rakhine people.

"The  military council has done nothing for the development of Rakhine locals. Rather they are killing people with weapons, which are bought with the money earnt from the Rakhine gas," he asserted.

He stated that the refugee camps in Buthidaung township were lately damaged as no one came forward for the repair.

The refugees asserted that the dormitories were in urgent need of repair. Once the heavy rainy days begin, the refugees will face a lot of difficulties.

U Mahandala, deputy in charge of  Yan Aung military evacuation camp at  number 5 ward in Buthidaung locality informed that the roofs of the houses were recently repaired with tarpaulins.
With the increasing prices of  bamboo and wood, the repair work faces troubles. The houses will not be useful if there is strong wind and rain, he added.

Since the takeover of power, the military council has stopped the support and compelled the refugees to return back to their villages.

But many families are not returning as the soldiers’ deployment continues in their villages and nearby  mountains of Buthidaung township.

Four  IDP camps in Buthidaung namely  Mya Taung , Yan Aung Mray, Gandhari and Don Thein give shelter to about 2000 refugees who hail from different villages under  Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships.