Burma Muslim Refugees Remain Homeless Reporter: KoSwe Date: 27/09/2013 Slug: Burma Muslims IDP IN R!

Si" mo#t$s a%ter a#ti&Muslim 'iole#(e rage) t$roug$ Burma*s (e#tral tow# o% Mei+$tila, 3000 mostl- Muslim, resi)e#ts remai# $omeless. /rou#) $al% o% t$e )ispla(e) $a'e 0ee# relo(ate) to #ew apartme#ts awa- %rom t$eir origi#al $omes. $e rest remai# i# t$e (amps a#) )o#*t +#ow w$e# or w$ere t$e- will 0e mo'e). Ko Swe we#t to see $ow t$ose resi)e#ts w$o are still )ispla(e) are (opi#g $al% a -ear o#. 12 S32 (amp 47&-ear&ol) Daw Ni Ni $as 0ee# li'i#g $ere i# a )ispla(eme#t (amp %or t$e last 5 mo#t$s. S$e s$ares t$is small room wit$ $er )aug$ter a#) two gra#)($il)re#. 6$e# $er $ouse (aug$t %ire i# t$e riots, $er la#) ow#ers$ip )o(ume#ts were )estro-e). $e aut$orities sa- t$e- will gi'e $er #ew papers so s$e (a# re0uil) $er $ome 0ut #o o#e is telli#g $er w$e#. Daw Ni Ni (lip 1 73emale, Burmese8: 9 $e- sai) our la#) )o(ume#ts woul) 0e issue). So we we#t to see.: Q: Will you get your own land plot? /: 9 $e- )i)#*t sa-.: Daw Ni Ni*s $us0a#) was o#e o% t$e ;3 people w$o were +ille) )uri#g t$e a#ti& Muslim 'iole#(e last mar($. S32 (o#%li(t $ousa#)s o% Muslims were )ri'e# out %rom t$eir $omes, as Bu))$ist mo0s tor($e) w$ole #eig$0our$oo)s, )estro-i#g s$ops, $omes a#) mos<ues. Daw Ni Ni*s so#s were also atta(+e) 0ut res(ue) 0- a Bu))$ist ma#. S$e*s tire) o% waiti#g %or go'er#me#t $elp i# t$e (amp a#) =ust wa#t to go $ome.

Daw Ni Ni (lip 2 73emale, Burmese8: 96$et$er t$e go'er#me#t wis$es to gi'e us $elp or #ot, it*s time to sta#) o# our ow# %eet.: /lso i# t$e (amp is 34&-ear&ol) $i# $i# Maw w$o lost $er $us0a#) i# t$e 'iole#(e. S$e lost all $er possessio#s i#(lu)i#g $er #oo)le s$op. $i# Maw (lip 1 73emale, Burmese8: 9Rig$t #ow, I $a'e #o i)ea w$at to )o e"a(tl0ut I wo#*t li'e a#- more $ere w$e# I (a# lea'e t$is (amp. I will go somew$ere 0e(ause I )o#*t wa#t to li'e $ere.: Daw Ni Ni*s so#s are wor+i#g i# t$eir (ousi#s* 0ut($ers s$op to $elp t$e %amil- get 0a(+ o# its %eet. Daw Ni Ni (lip 3 73emale, Burmese8: 9I )o#*t wa#t m- so#s to +eep )oi#g t$is =o0 i# t$e lo#g term 0ut our (o#)itio# is t$at we $a'e to 0e (o#te#t wit$ e'er-t$i#g t$at we $a'e.: $e resi)e#ts o% Mei+$tila su%%ere) u#imagi#a0le trauma. Some 13,000 people were )ispla(e) w$e# t$e mo0s )es(e#)e) o# t$e tow#. Do(tors are (alli#g %or (ou#selli#g ser'i(e i# t$e (amps, sa-s Dr M-i#t !o, se(retaro% t$e >ommittee %or Me)i(al 1t$i(s So(iet-. M-i#t !o (lip 1 7Male, Burmese8: 9I% t$e- set up (li#i(s a#) also appoi#te) ps-($iatri(s, (ou#selors, w$o (ou#sel t$em i#)i'i)uall- as well as i# groups to $eal t$eir me#tal wou#)s. B- re(ei'i#g group t$erap-, t$e- (a# support a#) $a'e a $eart to $eart tal+ ea($ ot$er.: /s people are restri(te) %rom lea'i#g, t$e (amps are i# )a#ger o% %eeli#g li+e priso#s. M-i#t !o sa-s t$ose i# ($arge must ease t$e )ispla(e) people*s %ears a#) a#"ieties. o )o t$is $e suggests allowi#g religious lea)ers to ma+e 'isits. M-i#t !o (lip 2 7Male, Burmese8: 9 $e most importa#t t$i#gs are to a'oi) t$e )etesta0le spee($ a#) to treat e'er-o#e e<uall-.: $i# $i# Maw (o#ti#ues to wait %or support. $i# $i# Maw (lip 2 73emale, Burmese8: 9I wis$ I (oul) all t$e #e(essar- t$i#gs su($ as %ur#iture, +it($e#ware a#) somet$i#g li+e t$at to ru# #ew #oo)le s$op i% I $a'e t$e permissio# to lea'e t$is re%ugee (amp.: $ose still le%t i# t$e (amps i# Mei+$tila %a(e u#(ertai#t-. $e- )o#*t +#ow w$e# or w$ere t$e- will 0e relo(ate). $e- %eel as t$oug$ t$e- $a'e 0ee# %orgotte#. $is %eature is pro)u(e) 0- Ko Swe %rom D?B, Burma, %or /sia >alli#g.