Tambru border: Rohingyas passing days under open sky

The Rohingyas driven out of their homes near the Tambru border in Bandarban's Naikhongchhari upazila have been spending the last five days under the open sky in a schoolyard in Konarpara.

Last Wednesday's violence broke out between two armed Rohingya factions at the border camp, leading to one refugee killed.

The refugees claimed that Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) were behind the violence, both of which were trying to take control of Konarpara Rohingya Camp. The camp straddles the border and is on the no-man's land, and run by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Following the shooting which lasted over two hours, Rohingya homes in the camp were set on fire, causing several hundred Rohingyas to cross the barbed-wire fences and flee to Myanmar. The Myanmar military pushed them back in response, leading them to take refuge again in Bangladesh, in schoolyards and rice fields of Ghumdum union.

A 46-year-old refugee named Mohammad Amin said, "When they burnt down our homes last Wednesday, we broke through the barbed-wire fences to seek shelter in Myanmar. But just one day later the Myanmar military forced us to leave and re-enter Bangladesh. I don't know what will happen to us -- we have no food, no water, no homes."

Ghumdum Union Parishad Chairman AKM Jahangir Aziz said, "Almost all the Rohingyas from the no-man's-land camp are now inside Bangladesh. The authorities have been notified the union parishad will execute whatever decision they take regarding these refugees."

Mohammad Alam, the UP member of Tambru, said the refugees are spending their days in distress under the open sky. The host communities are helping with aid and a few NGOs donated tarpaulins for them to construct tents with, he said.

Abdul Karim, a trader of Tambru bazar, wondered whether the refugees would be relocated to their ward now that their camp is burnt down.

The camp had hosted over 4000 Rohingyas and had 630 homes.