Landmine risk discourages return home for many in Arakan, Chin states

By Admin 22 Oct 2024

DMG Newsroom
22 October 2024, Sittwe

The Arakkha Army (AA) has seized 10 townships in Arakan State and neighbouring Paletwa Township in Chin State since November of last year, and while some residents displaced by the fighting have returned to their hometowns, the risk of landmines and livelihood hardships discourage many others from doing so.

Landmines have not yet been cleared in at least four villages in Paletwa Township east of the Kaladan River. Some residents returned home in March, but most still dare not return home due to the risk of landmines.

Daw Ma Hla Thein from Mee Letwa Village said: "There are a lot of mines in the village and on the routes to forests and mountains [on which livelihoods depend]. So, there is no point in returning home when we can't go to forests and mountains. We are also deeply concerned that we might be killed or lose limbs when we return home."

The AA has been clearing landmines in some rural parts of Paletwa Township, but still cannot do so in all the villages.

Many residents who have returned home cannot farm due to the risk of landmines, and many cannot afford to rebuild their houses.

At least one woman was killed and three others were injured in landmine blasts in Paletwa Township in April and May.

One woman from Hnamada Village in Paletwa Township lost both her legs when she stepped on a landmine while foraging for vegetables on May 21.

U Aung Kyaw Hla, a Hnamada villager now taking refuge elsewhere, said: "We have eaten up our belongings over the past four years. We don't have money to return. I can't work and I dare not go into the forests and mountains due to landmines."

Junta troops were deployed in the area for more than three years, and there remain many unexploded landmines there as the regime and the AA clashed heavily there.

Displaced people said they cannot afford to build new houses or buy cattle to work their farmland.

Daw Hla Saw Yaing from Mee Letwa Village said: "We need a place where we can earn our livelihoods independently like before. And we want authorities to clear mines near the forests and mountains where Myanmar military troops were deployed, so villagers can make a living based on the forests."

Displaced Paletwa residents are taking refuge at displacement camps and relatives' houses in Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U and Ponnagyun townships. Nearly 60,000 people were displaced by the fighting between the Myanmar military and the AA in 2019-2020. Most of them have returned home, but some remain in displacement camps.