Preparations for Rakhine refugee resettlement underway, says minister

04 January 2018
Preparations for Rakhine refugee resettlement underway, says minister
Myanmar Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Win Myat Aye (R) arrives to Maungdaw township, Rakhine State, western Myanmar, 02 January 2018. Photo: Nyunt Win/EPA-EFE

Arrangements are being made to allow repatriated people in Rakhine State to earn their living without any difficulty, according to Union Minister Dr Win Myat Aye.
An inspection tour by Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr. Win Myat Aye and Union Enterprise of Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development (UEH RD) Chief Coordinator Dr. Aung Tun Thet was made on January 2 to the Maungtaw region, according to the Global New Light of Myanmar in a report on January 3.
They inspected the relocation and resettlement projects conducted in Kyain Chaung, Kyun Pauk Pyu Su, Lin Bar Gone Nar and Pwint Phyu Chaung villages.
Dr. Win Myat Aye, Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, said that being a Chairman of the Implementation Committee, his visit to Rakhine State was mainly to implement the recommendations of the report of the Advisory Commission led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and to make the resettlement of the UEHRD issue. 
“Regarding the implementation committee, we have already arranged to carry out two parts: to discuss matters relating to the closing of the refugee camps which were opened in 2012; and to relocate and resettle the refugee camps. In this regard, we met the officials concerned of the camps and departmental heads of the Rakhine State,” he said.
“We will carry out the plans according to the rules and regulations. They all agreed to abide by the laws, and we will carry on this project according to the procedures,” Dr. Win Myat Aye said.
He said they had already made village plans to build the houses as the original structures and designs. Arrangements are being made to allow repatriated people to earn their living without any difficulty, and to build the construction projects in Taung Pyo Letwe camp, Nga Khu Ya camp and Hla Pho Khaung camp.
“We will implement the practical matters with on-the-ground conditions as a priority and the programme needs to be beneficial for the local people. We will implement how to relocate and resettle the people who will return from other countries. Our objective is to effectively provide humanitarian aid, as there are many difficulties and problems on ways of living, food and shelter concerning the affairs which took place in Rakhine State,” the minister added.
Dr. Aung Tun Thet, the chief coordinator of UEHRD, noted that the purpose of visiting the area was to look into the construction sites and to supervise the resettlement projects. 
“We also invite all private sector organisations and businessmen to take part in the projects where they have expertise. This project is led by the government and private sectors have contributed enormously to it, as a whole. That’s why we can prove that the businessmen from private sectors can turn this region into a developed state. We will invite all businesspersons and people across the country for taking part in this noble work through all sorts of platforms such as the internet, mobile phones and social media,” the UEHRD coordinator said.