Minbya Twsp villager killed in landmine blast

By DMG 15 May 2022

DMG Newsroom
15 May 2022, Minbya 

An elderly man was killed in a landmine explosion near Thaboh Zarphet village in Arakan State’s Minbya Township on Sunday morning, according to family members of the victim. 

The deceased has been identified as U Aung Thar Tun, 68, from Panmyaung village. He stepped on a landmine while on his way to Thaboh Zarphet village, about four miles from Panmyaung village, a family member said. 

“I heard that one person was injured in the landmine blast, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene when I arrived at the scene of the blast,” said Ko Maung Maung Hla, a resident of Panmyaung Village. 

“I am very saddened by the consequences of the fighting. I don’t want anyone else to share my father’s fate,” Ma Nyo Nyo, the daughter of U Aung Thar Tun, told DMG. 

Some locals who were going to the jungle to cut bamboo turned around and returned home after a landmine blew up near Thaboh Zarphet village in April, according to residents. 

U Than Min Naing, a 30-year-old man, was killed in a landmine explosion at a cashew nut farm near Darlet Mrauk village in Ann Township on May 14. 

Although the situation in Arakan State is stable at the moment, locals need to be careful as there are frequent landmine explosions, said U Zaw Zaw Tun, secretary of the Rakhine Ethnics Congress (REC). 

“As the fighting calmed down, locals became less afraid of landmines and moved to work farther away from their villages. Even though there is no fighting, explosive remnants of war (ERWs) are frequently found in Arakan State,” he said. 

“When the Myanmar military clears landmines, it should also effectively clear areas where there has been fighting and military camps have been built,” U Zaw Zaw Tun added. “The military should clear landmines until it can guarantee the safety of locals.” 

The REC has conducted landmine risk education in some Arakan State townships, but after the military coup in February 2021, the civil society group has found it difficult to continue its landmine awareness activities. 

Fighting between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA) has largely ceased since November 2020, but casualties due to landmines and ERWs have continued to rise. 

At least 55 people were killed and 131 others were injured in landmine and ERW encounters during some two years of fighting between the military and the Arakan Army in Arakan State, according to figures from the REC.