The military council has reportedly banned residents of Nwarbangyi village in Ywangan Township, southern Shan State, from farming, causing concerns among residents about their livelihoods.
Following clashes between the Ywangan People’s Defense Force (YPDF) and Myanmar army forces, the junta called villagers to meetings for three consecutive weeks starting 5 September and informed them of the ban on farming, some farmers reported.
“It is difficult for the farmers. Because Nyarbangyi village lives entirely on agriculture and some other seasonal crops. So if they are not allowed to work anymore, those crops and plants will be destroyed. This will cause them great difficulties and affect them from all sides,” said a person in charge of the Ywangan-based YPDF.
Currently, it is the time for planting seasonal crops in Ywangan. As farmers have taken loans to cover their farming expenses, there will be significant losses, locals said.
The junta army not only bans locals from farming, but has also stationed about 200 soldiers in Nwarbangyi village and laid about 50 landmines around the village, making villagers fear for their lives, locals said.
“They have stationed troops in Nwarbangyi. Security is very tight. I heard that they called the truck owners to a meeting today. They have been calling every two or three days and telling them not to go to the farms. They have tightened security too much and neglecting people’s livelihood,” the YPDF official added.
Farmers said that although some Nwarbangyi villagers had offered money to the military council so they could resume farming, they had not reached an agreement. Farmers who tried to go to the farms were also threatened with being shot, according to the villagers.
On 3 September, four junta soldiers were killed and at least others injured when a column of about 30 junta soldiers advancing on Nwarbangyi village was intercepted by the YPDF.
Sent by NMG.