Over a year since unofficial ceasefire in Arakan, many homes destroyed by conflict yet to be rebuilt

By DMG 10 Nov 2021

DMG Newsroom
10 November 2021, Sittwe 

Many homes in Arakan State that were destroyed by fire during armed conflict between the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) and Arakan Army (AA) have yet to be rebuilt. 

About 1,000 homes from 40 villages in Arakan State were burnt down during the two-year war between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army from 2018-20, according to data compiled by the Rakhine Ethnics Congress (REC). 

Among the homes destroyed by fire were 163 in the township of Buthidaung, 399 in Kyauktaw, 164 in Rathedaung, three in Ponnagyun and 209 in Mrauk-U. 

The military council has built basic new houses in Phayarpaung and Taungpauk villages in Kyauktaw Township; Lekka village in Mrauk-U Township; and Pharpyo village in Minbya Township, with each home reportedly worth K5 million ($2,817). 

The rehabilitation should be done fairly, said U Shwe Baw Sein, chairman of the REC. 

“If the military council builds two-storey homes in Lekka village in Mrauk-U Township, it will be necessary to provide fair housing for displaced people living in other IDPs camps,” he said. 

More than 235,000 people were displaced by two years of fighting between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army in Arakan State. More than a year into an unofficial ceasefire between the warring parties, tens of thousands of IDPs remain at displacement camps — many for more than two years. 

Most IDPs hope to return home, but are unable or unwilling to do so due to the risk of landmines, lack of a home, job scarcity and other hardships wrought of the mental and physical damages of war. 

U Thein Tun Oo, an IDP from Pyaing Taing village in Kyauktaw Township, said IDPs like himself want to live and work in their hometowns but cannot return because they are homeless. 

“We don’t know when we will return home. All the houses in the village were burnt down and destroyed. We had to run for our lives with only one piece of clothing on. We want to return to the village because we are living in the IDP camps with various difficulties, but it is not possible to do so for the time being,” he said. 

Scores of homes were reduced to ashes in both Pyaing Taing and Tinma villages of Kyauktaw Township in March 2020 amid clashes between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army.  

The Arakan State Administration Council has been asked to build new houses in Tinma village, but no action has been taken so far, said U Maung Tun Nyunt, a local resident. 

“We have presented a list of homes destroyed by fire to the Arakan State Administration Council. The Arakan State Administration Council has promised to repair the burnt homes, but to this day nothing has happened,” he added. 

Arakan human rights groups point out that both the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) government and the Myanmar military are responsible for the displacement of local people. 

Reconstruction of the fire-ravaged villages is about 25% complete, according to U Mrat Tun, director of the Arakan Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Association. 

“Homes are being rebuilt in only four villages. Homes in some villages in Rathedaung Township were set on fire, but the military council has not helped the affected people,” he added. 

DMG attempted to contact the Arakan State Administration Council about rehabilitation plans for the state’s fire-damaged homes, but the council could not be reached. 

More than 100,000 IDPs in Arakan State have returned home since fighting between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army ceased in November 2020, but many more remain in displacement camps.