Owners of homes in Arakan State destroyed by junta artillery strikes, arson attacks yet to receive govt assistance

By DMG 09 Dec 2022

DMG Newsroom
9 December 2022, Sittwe

The military council has yet to provide any assistance to those whose homes were destroyed by artillery strikes and junta arson attacks in Arakan State during its renewed hostilities with the Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State, according to local residents.

The two sides reached an informal ceasefire on November 26, but since renewed fighting erupted between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army in August, at least 23 houses were razed by artillery strikes and junta arson attacks in Arakan State, according to a DMG tally.

At least 10 homes were reduced to ashes by junta soldiers in Sin Inn Gyi Village, part of Arakan State’s Ponnagyun Township, on November 10, according to villagers.

They have yet to receive any information despite submitting a list of homes and household items destroyed by the fires in Sin Inn Gyi Village to the township General Administration Department, the villagers said.

“Social organisations provided each family with about K500,000. We have yet to receive assistance from the military council. We are currently staying at our relatives’ homes and are unable to return home for the time being,” said U Oo Tun Tin, a resident of Sin Inn Gyi Village.

At least 10 homes were destroyed by junta soldiers in Sin Inn Gyi Village, causing local people hundreds of millions of kyats in losses, the residents said.

“My home is worth around K80 million. My water pump, sewing machine, about two tonnes of timber, 150 baskets of paddy and home were reduced to ashes,” said an elderly resident of Sin Inn Gyi Village. “I need money to rebuild my home and I have nothing.”

Many residents of Sin Inn Gyi Village are currently taking shelter at displacement camps in downtown Ponnagyun or at their relatives’ homes.

On November 18, meanwhile, seven houses caught fire after being hit by artillery shells in Maungdaw Township’s Wetkyein Village, locals said.

“No social organisations have provided us with cash assistance or food. We have yet to receive relief supplies from the military junta. We cannot rebuild our homes and are facing many difficulties,” U Thayar of Wetkyein Village told DMG.

Some Wetkyein villagers have set up makeshift tents near their fire-razed homes to live in temporarily.

Forty-eight villages were set ablaze and more than 2,000 homes were destroyed during the previous, 2018-2020 fighting in Arakan State, according to local civil society organisations.

The government has built houses in some villages that were burned and has provided some financial support to the fire victims. However, those who have more recently lost their homes say they feel helpless and are having difficulty rebuilding their homes due to lack of government assistance.

“A house cannot be built for K800,000 (US$381) when the price of construction materials is rising,” said U Khaing Tun Sein, a resident of Sin Inn Gyi Village. “We spent years saving money to build our own home. It is impossible for us to rebuild our home for the time being.”

DMG attempted to contact Arakan State military council spokesman U Hla Thein and fellow Arakan State military council member U Than Tun for comment on the homes destroyed by fire, but they could not be reached.