New homes built in fire-ravaged Paletwa Twsp village

By DMG 19 May 2021

DMG Newsroom
19 May 2021, Paletwa 

About 33 new houses have been rebuilt at Kyet Uwa village in Chin State’s Paletwa Township, where some houses were engulfed by recent fire, according to villagers. 

The houses were built by the Department of Rural Development and Development of Border Areas and National Races Department (Na-Ta-La.). The houses measure 18 feet long by 18 feet wide and have thatched roofs. Thirty-three houses have been built so far, according to villagers. 

“The new houses were built by the Department of Rural Development and Development of Border Areas and National Races Department. ... Some houses have only a roof and some have not yet been paved. The houses are made of wood, but the wood is low quality,” said U San Kyaw, a resident of Kyet Uwa village. 

“There are 52 houses in the village, which were destroyed by fire while the villagers were fleeing the fighting. At present, 18 houses will be built by the Development of Border Areas and National Races Department and 27 houses by the Department of Rural Development, and villagers say they do not know when the remaining houses will be rebuilt. 

Ko Maung Myint Oo, a resident of Kyet Uwa village, said the houses under construction could be destroyed during the rainy season this year. 

“The house is not finished yet, and all the wood is rotten. Not all wood is durable. When people live, the floors can collapse and hit the ground. What we want to say is that if new houses are built, we want them to be built with local wood, so that they can last,” he said. 

The Royal Chin Star Company, which is building the houses, will complete the houses in May with a two-year guarantee, said Ko Nay Lin Kyaw, the company’s managing director. 

“When our company applied for a tender from the government to build new houses, we were allowed to build 18 houses. Our company built them with a two-year guarantee. If it is damaged due to poor quality within 2 years, we will compensate. If it is destroyed by five kinds of enemies, it is not our responsibility. Construction of the new homes is about 75% complete and will be finished this month,” he added. 

Villagers say the government has built houses in their village but that it is not clearing landmines near their village and in the surrounding forested hills, so they are worried about farming this rainy season. 

When they return to their homes, they need to be provided with food and shelter by the relevant government departments, locals said. 

All houses in Kyet Uwa village were destroyed by fire on April 18, 2020, while the villagers were fleeing unrest in the area. 

Homes in Kyet Uwa, Meeletwa Aut, Thamanthar, Theinthin, Maungmaung, Wetma, Pyainetine, Leikkhaung, Setputaing, and Meiksar villages in Paletwa Township were reportedly burnt down during fighting between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army.