Residents of Hpayonchaung and Hngetpyawchaung villages who were forced to leave their villages by the Myanmar army have asked the junta to allow them to return before the rainy season, villagers report.
With the onset of the rainy season, farmers in the region have begun preparations for their agricultural activities, but residents of Hpayonchaung and Hngetpyawchaung face difficulties as they are not allowed to enter their villages, they said.
“We have to build a hut in the field before we can start agricultural work. We also need to prepare for sowing. But we can’t do anything now because we aren’t even allowed to go near the village. It is impractical for us to farm without being allowed to live in the village. And no one will rent these lands if they can’t even get near the villages. We will be able to rebuild what we have lost only if we can farm. So I want them to let us return home as soon as possible,” said a resident of Hngetpyawchaung village.
The regime’s army forced 105 people from Hpayonchaung, which has 25 households, and 121 people from Hngetpyawchaung, which has 29 households, allegedly because of four missing soldiers from Light Infantry Division 22.
A resident of Hpayonchaung said that all his houses and crops were destroyed by Cyclone Mocha.
“There are no houses left. All the trees have broken off. I went to the village two days after the storm to cut the broken trees and repair the house. But they didn’t allow me to enter the village or cut the trees. They drove me away saying that we were not allowed to stay in the village yet. Until now, the junta soldiers are still in Hpayonchaung and Hngetpyawchaung,” he said.
The Myanmar army’s LID 22 has been stationed in Hpayonchaung and Hngetpyawchaung villages since the informal ceasefire between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar army in November 2022. On 30 April of this year, the regime army expelled the residents from their villages, citing the disappearance of the four soldiers as the reason.
The villagers have sought refuge in downtown Buthidaung and Thaykankhwasone village for more than a month after their expulsion and are struggling to make a living.
“The food we brought with us has now been used up. The army told us that we only have to stay out of the village for two weeks. So we only brought food for two weeks. Now it has been longer than expected and our return is not yet in sight. We have no support here, so our situation is very difficult,” said a woman from Hpayonchaung.
Narinjara has repeatedly tried to reach Arakan State Minister of Security and Border Affairs and Arakan State Administrative Council’s spokesperson U Hla Thein for comment on the matter, but there has been no response.
Sent by Narinjara.