More than 600 internally displaced people (IDPs) who returned home at the arrangement of the Arakan State military council after the military and Arakan Army (AA) agreed to an informal ceasefire on humanitarian grounds in late November are reportedly facing livelihood hardships.
The returnees are about 200 IDPs from Dar Let Chaung Village-tract in Ann Township and over 400 IDPs from Abaung Thar Village in Chin State’s Paletwa Township.
The junta pushed about 200 IDPs from Dar Let Chaung, Nanyargon, Nyaungchaung and Ywarmapyin villages to return home on December 2.
“We were forced to return home on December 2. The military didn’t clear the landmines near the village or repair our damaged homes. We dare not go outside the village and are struggling to make ends meet,” said a resident of Ywarmapyin Village in Ann Township.
IDPs have taken refuge at a displacement camp near the township sports ground and at Pelpadon IDP camp in Ann, and were provided K500,000 per household and food items.
Currently, the food IDPs get has also run out and they are facing livelihood difficulties as they cannot go outside the village to cut down trees or bamboo for fear of landmines.
“We are worried about the risks of landmines at our farms because the military cleared the landmines along the Ann-Dar Let road,” said a local man from Ywarmapyin Village.
More than 400 IDPs from Abaung Thar Village in Paletwa Township were pushed to return home after they were told that the military council would provide IDPs with K300,000 and two sacks of rice per household if they returned to their homes.
IDP returnees are facing livelihood hardships as they have yet to receive the military council’s provisions.
“The military council told us that each IDP family will be provided with K300,000 and food supplies for one month if we return home. We have yet to receive the military council’s assistance. We are not comfortable with the skyrocketing rice prices. We dare not go to the forests to collect vegetables due to the risks of landmines,” said a resident of Abaung Thar Village.
The villagers of Abaung Thar fled their homes due to the fighting near the village, and now they have returned to their homes due to cessation of hostilities between the military and AA.
There are criticisms that the military council must take full responsibility for livelihood and resettlement programs for the residents who were forced to return to their homes.
“Financial assistance supplied by the military is not enough for IDPs to repair their homes. The military didn’t clear landmines in the areas where the fighting broke out. Locals depend on the forests for their livelihoods. The military council pushed IDPs to return to their homes without taking responsibility and accountability,” said Ko Myo Lwin, an activist in Ann Township.
The total number of IDPs in Arakan State, including those who remain at displacement camps due to the 2018-2020 fighting between the military and Arakan Army, stood at about 90,000 earlier this year, according to a January 11 report from UNOCHA.
