High level officers led by Maungdaw deputy township administration officer – U Myint Thein and other five department officers threaten Rohingya villagers in a meeting held in Maungnama village tract on January 23 at 11:00 AM, said Mer Ali from the village said. 

The officers invited all the villagers under the Maungnama village tract to join the meeting held in the affiliated middle school of village, Mer Ali more said.

In the meeting, U Myint Thein, the deputy Maungdaw township administration officer, Naing Win Thein, officer of fishery department, Hla Htun Pryu, Township land survey officer, U Shwe Zan, township planning officer, U Tin Oo, Municipal officer and fire bridge officer, said an officer from Maungdaw who denied to be named.

The deputy township administration officer said at the meeting, anyone who built their home without permission from township administration office, planning office and Municipal office, must report to the concerned offices. Otherwise, they will be find and send to jail, the officer more added.

Similarly, the fishery department officer Naing Win Thein warned to Rohingya shrimp dam owners to pay all the taxes, or will face trail in the court, said Anwer, a fishery dam owner. “We have paid as per law the taxes, why again the officer asking taxes again.”

The officers are asking money for house hold repair, building and shrimp dams through the village admin officers before new government establish, said Jalil, an elder from Maungdaw.

In the meeting the officer of the fire bridge informed to the villagers, the department will allow the village to set on fire for cooking from 6:00 am to 11: 00 am and 6:00 pm to 9:00pm, according to Nawsima Khatun, a woman from the village.

At last, the Land Survey Office officer said that the villagers are not allowed to build houses on arable land. If the villagers want to build houses on other lands (farmlands), need to submit an application to the concerned department. If permission granted, will be able to build house, otherwise not, said Kalam, an elder from the locality said.

However, the meeting was ended at 12:00 noon.