Landmine fears halt farming among ethnic Mro in northern Maungdaw Twsp

By Admin 20 Jul 2023

DMG Newsroom
20 July 2023, Maungdaw

Ethnic Mro people living in the mountainous northern part of Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, are facing livelihood difficulties after they stopped farming due to concerns about the threat of landmines.

Renewed fighting between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA) erupted near Wetkyein, Gyitchaung, Khontaing and Laungdon villages in July 2022. 

“Ethnic Mro people face various difficulties as they cannot do farming. In the past, we didn’t suffer from food shortages as our farms yielded crops and vegetables. Now, we have to buy even vegetables. We are struggling to make ends meet,” said a local from Gyitchaung Village who did not want to be named.

An ethnic Mro woman from Gyitchaing Village, which is home to more than 300 people from 60 households, was killed on November 12, 2022, after stepping on a landmine about two miles from the village.

“We used to collect bamboo shoots and vegetables and catch fish in the jungle. Now, we dare not go to the forest due to the risk of landmines,” said a local woman from Gyitchaung Village who asked for anonymity.

The Mro people of northern Maungdaw Township have historically cultivated crops such as rice, chilies, cucumbers, corn and sesame. 

Fear of landmines has also impacted other sources of livelihood.

“The villagers dare not go to the jungle to cut down timber and bamboo due to the risk of landmines. They [villagers] plough some farmlands near their homes,” said U Aung Hsan, the acting administrator of Wetkyein Village.

A 4-year-old boy was killed when an unexploded grenade blew up in Wetkyein Village on May 4 while he was playing with friends about 100 feet from his home.

In order to resume agricultural activities, Mro farmers are demanding that the concerned parties clear landmines and and other explosive remnants of war (ERWs) as soon as possible.

“I would like to ask the junta to clear landmines in our area. Only if the junta guarantees that it is safe will we be able to work in agriculture,” said a local man from Laungdon Village.

Mro people live primarily in Arakan State’s Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Ponnagyun, Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw townships. The ethnic group’s total population is estimated at around 40,000.