The military council plans to return more than 500 families from downtown areas of Kyauktaw in Arakan State to their homes, displaced people report.
About 50 people, including junta soldiers and the township administrator and departmental staff, arrived at Kawi Yadanar and Nay Pu Khan IDP camps in Kyauktaw around 8 am on 30 August and told the IDPs that arrangements were being made to return them to their homes, the IDPs said.
“They didn’t say what day we’d return. They only said that they are making arrangements for the return of over 500 displaced families. They didn’t say which camps these 500 households would be from,” said Ma Khaing Aye Nyunt, a displaced person from the Kawi Yadanar Camp in Kyauktaw.
Attempts to reach Kyauktaw township administrator U Zaw Nyunt for comment on the issue were unsuccessful.
The Kawi Yadanar Camp houses 1,068 people from Tinma, Wet Ma Kya, Laung Shay and Mundaunt (Lower) villages in Kyauktaw Township and Pweechaungwa, Hnamadar, Kyet Yet Kine and Mundaunt (Upper) villages in Paletwa Township.
The displaced people were told that each returning household will receive 100,000 kyats for transportation costs, 500,000 kyats in cash aid and other necessary supplies.
“They told us that they’re making arrangements for the IDPs to return home. They said the more than 500 households will be from villages on the west bank of the Kaladan River. The villages on the east bank like Tinma haven’t yet been included,” said U Maung Aye Saw, the person in charge of the Nay Pu Khan IDP Camp.
Villages on the west bank of the Kaladan River where IDPs live include Mee Wa, Gent Khar Sae, Laung Shay, Kwan Zwe, Mundaunt (Lower), Aung Tharyar, Than Payar Daunt and Det Phyu. The farmlands of residents of these areas are located on the east bank of the Kaladan River.
The displaced people fear that they will not be allowed to cross to the east bank of the Kaladan River to work on their farmlands upon their return.
“Everyone wants to return home. But we’re worried that fighting will break out again. We don’t want to be displaced again if the fighting flares up again. Since all the lands that belong to the people from the west bank are on the east bank, we’re afraid that we won’t be allowed to go to that side. That is why we’re carefully thinking about returning home,” said Ko Soe Win Naing, a displaced resident of Mee Wa village.
The Nay Pu Khan IDP Camp, set up under the NLD government, houses more than 2,000 people from about 10 villages in Kyauktaw Township, including Tinma and Pyine Tine villages.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 58,000 people remain displaced in Arakan State and Paletwa Township in Chin State due to the armed conflict and are unable to return to their homes.
Reasons why displaced people have been unable to return home include the presence of the military in and around their villages, fears that fighting could resume, concerns about landmines, and lack of security guarantees.
After the Myanmar army and the Arakan Army (AA) agreed to stop fighting on humanitarian grounds in November 2022, the military took responsibility for returning some displaced people in Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Mrauk-U, and Paletwa Townships to their homes without security guarantees, leaving returnees facing immense difficulties securing food, shelter, and livelihoods.
Sent by DMG.