About 150 households from the Internally Displaced People (IDP) camp in Monekoe in northern Shan State are facing financial difficulties to move to a new place, according to the IDPs.
Due to the military council’s plan to close the IDP camps, the IDP families are moving in search of new places.
A female IDP from Monekoe IDP camp said: “Some IDPs have rented houses. Some IDPs have moved to the new village. Most of them are unable to move to the new location as they can’t afford to buy land.”
Of the nearly 220 households in Monekoe IDP camp, nearly 70 families moved to a new location through a self-help system. The rest of families find it difficult to move as they can not buy land.
For the resettlement plan, the Monekoe IDPs have to buy land through installment, build bamboo houses and then move to the new location on their own.
However, most IDPs said they cannot afford to buy land in installments.
Most of IDPs are still unable to move, so they want relevant officials and civil society organizations to help them, said Monekoe IDPs.
Now we are working on the new village relocation project. The main thing is we need help in order to buy land, level the ground and do land piling. Due to the current political situation, there are many difficulties in livelihood, accommodation and education of children, an IDP said.
After the coup, aid to the IDPs has decreased. As there is no security due to the current political and military situations, it is completely impossible for them to return to their region, the IDPs said.
The IDPs have received the monthly assistance provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) alone. The refugees said that no organization has yet helped them to buy land, build houses and move to the new village.
Due to the current political situation, there is a dearth of employment opportunities for the IDPs. Skyrocketing commodity prices make them more difficult. There are no daily pay jobs, the IDPs said.
On 14 March, the military council told officials of the IDPs in northern Shan State to move in March and April. The military council told them to close seven IDP camps in March and eight in April in northern Shan State.
The IDP camps included in the list of complete shutdowns in March and April are: Namphatkar KBC IDP camp, Aungthabyay IDP camp, Mongyulay IDP camp, Karhlaing Zwat Aung IDP camp-1 and 2, Panku IDP camp, Lwalmone IDP camp, Namtu IDP camp, Kutkai KBC IDP camp-1 and 2, Kutkai RC IDP camp, Saint Thaw Mat IDP camp and Nay Won Ni IDP camp.
Sent by the NMG