Mro people, who live in the hills of northern Maungdaw Township in Arakan State, are facing livelihood difficulties after their agricultural activities were forced to stop due to the threat of landmines.
In July 2022, fighting broke out again between the Myanmar army and the Arakan Army (AA) near Mro villages such as Wet Kyine, Jade Chuang, Khon Taing, and Laugn Don, which live mainly from hillside farming.
Since then, villagers have been forced to stop their agricultural work and take odd jobs, said a resident of Jade Chaung on condition of anonymity.
“We Mro residents have faced many difficulties after we had to stop agricultural work. Before, we didn’t face many difficulties as we could rely on the harvests from hillside farming. But now we even have to buy vegetables. The situation is especially bad for the have-nots like us,” he said.
On 12 November 2022, a woman in her late 50s from Jade Chaung (Mro) village, home to over 50 households with more than 300 people, was fatally struck by a landmine explosion.
A woman from Jade Chaung village said, “We used to go to the mountains to gather bamboo shoots. We used to go in search of snails and fish. But now we don’t dare to go because there might be landmines on the paths.”
The Mro, who live in the hills, grow paddy, chilli, cucumber, corn, and sesame on the hillsides to make a living. However, following the outbreak of fighting in the hills and the continued presence of armed forces in the areas, it has become increasingly difficult for them to cultivate on the hillsides.
“Villagers no longer even dare to go up into the mountains to cut wood or bamboo. They have been had to work only in the fields that are not far from their houses, because there are landmines everywhere out there. They are in a very difficult situation now,” said the interim administrator of Wet Kyine village.
On 4 May 2023, a 4-year-old child in Wet Kyine village was killed when a grenade he was playing with in a field accidentally detonated.
Locals have called on authorities to urgently search for unexploded mines and remnants of war.
“We especially want them to clear mines if they were laid here in the area. If the military council guarantees safety, we can resume our agricultural work,” said a resident of Laung Don village.
With a population of over 40,000 in Arakan State, the majority of the Mro live in Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Ponnagyun, Buthidaung and Kyauktaw Townships, where they live mainly from farming in the mountains.
Sent by DMG.