Yangon: The recent loudspeaker announcements by Myanmar security forces have created panic among refugees staying in buffer-Zone. Myanmar security forces have resumed loudspeaker broadcasts ordering Rohingya Muslims to immediately leave a strip of no-man’s land between the two countries.
It must be noted that around 6,000 refugees from the persecuted minority have been camping on the narrow stretch of land since fleeing a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar’s west last August. And nearly 7 lakh Rohingya Muslims migrated to Bangladesh to escape the military violence. However, a few thousand of them insisted on staying in the buffer zone between the borders.
In February Myanmar had agreed that it would not order stranded Muslims to leave the area immediately and cross into Bangladesh on loudspeakers. But the loudspeaker messages resumed this weekend again creating panic among refugees staying in the buffer zone.
Dil Mohammed one of the leaders camped in no-man’s says ‘we are the citizens of Myanmar, this is the land of our forefathers we have every right to live here, why should we migrate? Rohingya Muslims are referred to as ‘Bengalis’ in the announcements.
The fresh announcements have exacerbated tension along the restive border zone.