An interview with Ma Thae Thae Nu, in-charge of Wibazawardi IDP camp in Sittwe
Since 26 November, 2022, the military council and the Arakan Army (AA) have made a ceasefire based on humanitarian grounds. The military council is putting pressure on the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Arakan State and Paletwa Township to return to their home, citing regional stability. Although the IDPs want to return to their home, in practice, their plan to go home is not easy.
The Development Media Group (DMG) interviewed Ma Thae Thae Nu, in-charge of Wibazawardi IDP camp in Mingan ward in Sittwe, who fled from Seinhnyinwa village in Paletwa Township about the current plights of the IDPs and the challenges they might face when they return to their home.
Q: May I know why you arrived in the IDP camp and the difficulties you faced on the way?
A: I fled to the IDP camp as fighting took place in my village. They dropped bombs on my village. I faced a lot of difficulties and the loss of life and properties. I have no place to live. So I fled to the IDP camp. I first fled to Sami town when we left the village. My 10-month-old baby died. My son died from excessive sweating and diarrhea. Then, I moved to Kyauktaw. I had to spend seven days going to Kyauktaw by car and foot. Then, I arrived in Lakema village in Kyauktaw Township. I stayed there for three months. Soldiers inspected and questioned me there. Soldiers inspected households. From there, I moved to Kyauktaw IDP camp. I moved to Sittwe as Kyauktaw IDP camp no longer accepted new IDPs. I arrived here when I came to Sittwe and contacted Sayardaw from Wibazawardi monastery).
Q: Currently, how do you solve the livelihood difficulties of your family?
A: The news that the assistance received by the families is not enough. The families face difficulty in health, livelihood and school fees. How we solve these problems is we have to go outside the camp when we have jobs. We have to solve the problem by selling off your properties when we have no jobs.
Q: Currently, which organizations are providing aid?
A: The World Food Programme (WFP) provides food ration. A refugee receives Ks-21,000 per month. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) provides house materials. The CNI provides pads for women and toilets. The LWF builds houses and wards. The MAUA builds houses. However, their assistance is not sufficient. Thanks to their assistance, we have to rely on it. I thank them for their assistance.
Q: From which regions did the IDPs come? What are their age groups?
A: The IDPs are from Rathaedaung, Minbya, Paletwa and Kyauktaw Townships. At present, 93 households and 515 populations are taking shelter at the camp. Among the IDPs are the elderly and children. Most IDPs are children. The number of female IDPs is higher than that of male IDPs.
Q: Currently, both sides have made a ceasefire. May I know your view on a plan to return to your home?
A: The IDPs want to return to their home. Despite the ceasefire, they don’t dare to return home as the ceasefire is temporary. Reasonability and accountability are required to return to home. The authorities need to carry out landmine clearance and prepare for better transportation and livelihood. We have lost our houses as our houses were burned down. We have no place to live. Now our village is full of bushes. Fighting took place in nearby mountains. We don’t dare to earn our living there. We dare to return to our home only after landmine clearance has been made and there is no fighting.
Q: Currently, does the military council ask the IDPs to return to home?
A: In the first week of December, 2022, the One Stop Service (OSS) questioned in-charges of camps whether they want to return to home. The authorities said they will provide MMKs-500,000 and a bag of rice to those who return to the village. They asked us whether we will stay on our own or we will stay in the place they arrange if we don’t return to the village. We responded that we want to return to the village.
Q: What kinds of difficulties may the IDPs face when they return to home?
A: We have a lot of difficulties. We have difficult transportation. We cannot go to the village by vessels due to the shallow creek. We cannot go to the village by car due to the dangers of landmines along the road. Due to difficult transportation, we may face livelihood difficulties. They need to build houses and provide cash assistance for livelihood. At last, they (military council) shall pay half of your losses even if they cannot pay compensations for all our losses.
Q: What do you want to ask for when you return home?
A: We want a guarantee that fighting will not resume. We will return to the village if we get that guarantee. The reason is we have no place to flee to when fighting resumes. In the past, we could flee as there were roads. Now, we cannot flee anywhere. We will die there. We flee the village as we don’t want to die. We have heard the news that landmines resulted in the casualties in the conflict-torn areas. We don’t want this situation.
Q: What kinds of difficulties do the female IDPs face?
A: Female IDPs face a lot of difficulties. Female IDPs who have husbands have no livelihood difficulties. Female IDPs who have no husbands are worse. It is not easy for us to get a job in Sittwe. We have to be thrifty. Female IDPs face a lot of difficulties.
Q: As an in-charge of the IDP camp, what kinds of challenges do you face?
A: I have difficulties. Sometimes I face difficulties when talking with others. However, I tried my best. I have to negotiate with the organizations and people here. We have some difficulties.
Q: Do you have anything to add?
A: What I want to say is the military council itself knows whether the IDPs want to return to their home although it asks the IDPs to go home. They (military council) should thoroughly think about it. All the IDPs here want to return to their home. However, we all have to stay here as the situation is not allowed. The authorities are to build new houses and carry out landmine clearance in villages and townships when we return to our home. We will return home if they can give a guarantee that there is no fighting.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG)