The military has forced officials of the Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps to move the IDPs from more than 20 IDP camps in Sittwe, the capital city of the Arakan State, according to the IDPs.
On December 27, Township General Administration Department held a meeting with officials of the IDP camps at the One-Stop Service (OSS) office and forced them to repritrate the IDPs, according to an official who declined to be named.
“Ward administrators gave a document to the officials of the IDP camps. This document covers three points. The document distributed by the General Administration Department states that the IDPs who want to return to their homes and move to the houses of relatives and other places according to their own program will be provided with a cash assistance of MMK-600,000 and two bags of rice. They (authorities) don’t give money in practice. We will not return home even if they provide us with money us. Because soldiers remain in the village,” according to the IDP camp official who declined to be named.
Some IDPs have signed a document to move to the place arranged by the military council, said a refugee from Yaysochaung village in Rathedaung Township who is taking shelter at the IDP camp in Sittwe.
“I don’t want to return to my village because they (soldiers) are stationed in the village. The military has not cleared remnants of war yet. It is not convenient for me to stay in other places under my own program. I have had to sign the pledge to stay in the place arranged by the military council.
Since 2019, Many IDPs from townships in northern Arakan State and Paletwa Township have been taking shelter at more than 20 IDP camps and monasteries in Sittwe.
On December 26, the military council moved the IDPs from Abaungthar village in Paletwa Township in Chin State. Currently, those IDPs are facing livelihood difficulties.
Although the military council and the Arakan Army (AA) have made an informal ceasefire through mutual understanding in Arakan State, the military council has not allowed the NGO, the INGOs and the CSOs to provide aid freely.
From August till October 11, the renewed fighting between the AA and the military council displaced 16,000 locals.
The total number of the IDPs has reached over 90,000 when the number of IDPs who cannot return to their homes in the previous clash time is added, according to the UNOCHA’s statement on October 19.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG)