Preparations are being made to begin compensating civilians in Shan State affected by the civil war between the Myanmar government and the Restoration Council of Shan State / Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA).
A Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House of Parliament) member from the Shan State-based Kyarr Phyu Party (White Tiger Party) said that from May 15 information was being collected to calculate the total losses in Nam Kham Township.
“I went to Naung Kham village [in Nam Kham Township] along with the data collection team, where there has been 15.7 million kyat (US$175,000) of damages,” Sai Kyaw Ohn MP told Mizzima.
Lists of damages are being compiled with the assistance of township authorities, political parties and administrative organizations. The information will then be submitted to the Shan State Government who will allocate compensation.
Gen. Sai Lao Seng of the RCSS/SSA said that the government army occupied villagers’ properties on April 9.
“The encamped unit took all of the valuable items and money. When we submitted the list of damages suffered by civilians, they just simply said that they didn’t know anything,” said Gen. Sai Lao Seng.
Thousands of refugees who fled their homes in Naung Ma, Naung Kham and Nant Kwan villages to Chinese territory are beginning to return home having been guaranteed of their safety by government authorities.
Gen. Sai Lao Seng said that his RCSS/SSA groups had an unofficial meeting with Minister Aung Min from the Myanmar Peace Center on May 13 about the war. However, no date was set for an official meeting.
