Rice harvest severely disrupted by junta artillery strikes

By DMG 02 Nov 2022

DMG Newsroom
2 November 2022, Minbya 

Frequent artillery strikes by Myanmar military battalions and bases in Minbya, Kyauktaw and Buthidaung townships are making the rice harvest virtually impossible, many local farmers say. 

Rice plants grown near Kyet Sin Bridge in Minbya ripened some two weeks ago, but farmers dared not attempt to reap for fear that junta troops deployed on the bridge would shoot them. 

“Rice plants are already overripe, and some have even fallen. But we can’t harvest them,” a resident of Phalaungyin Village said. “Junta troops near the bridge tend to shoot as they like. So, no one dares to go there without their permission. Perhaps we can seek their permission through village administrators. But then, village administrators are not at their villages.” 

Similarly, farmers from Wet Hmine and Peinne Chaung villages in Kyauktaw Township say they cannot harvest rice crops grown near Light Infantry Battalion No. 375. 

“We dare not harvest as it is near the military-owned land. Villagers have asked me to ask permission from the battalion,” said Wet Hmine Village administrator U Hla Thein Maung. “I suggested asking the village-tract administrator because I think he is in a better position to help the villagers. However, he has not yet made any response.” 

In Buthidaung Township, villagers are also extremely hesitant to go to their farms as the military often fires artillery shells near the villages of Kinchaung Village-tract. 

“Villagers have fled the fighting, so they dare not go back. So, they hire Muslims from nearby villages by giving them good wages,” said a farmer from Kinchaung village. “But even then, it is difficult to hire labourers. Many acres of paddy fields are not yet harvested as labourers can’t be hired. Farmers will suffer huge losses if they can’t find labourers in time.” 

Local farmers have urged the Myanmar military to halt its indiscriminate shelling at least long enough that they can harvest their crops. 

DMG was unable to contact junta spokesman Major-General Zaw Min Tun and Arakan State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Kyaw Thura for comment. 

“Farmers grew those farms amid various difficulties, and they will suffer a lot financially if they can’t harvest the paddy,” said the chairman of the Arakan Farmers Union, U Kyaw Zan. “So, I’d like to urge the [junta] government to have sympathy on them, and give them a chance [to harvest].” 

Civilian casualties inflicted by junta artillery strikes have been reported with regularity in Arakan State since the military and Arakan Army (AA) began fighting anew in August. 

Six civilians were killed and 21 others were injured by junta artillery shells last month in Arakan State, the AA said in a statement on Tuesday.