Soldiers accused of taking relief supplies from fire victims in Kyauktaw Twsp

By Myo Thiri Kyaw 10 Oct 2020

Myo Thiri Kyaw | DMG
10 October 2020, Sittwe 

Residents of Phayarpaung village in Arakan State’s Kyauktaw Township have accused military personnel of seizing relief items and food supplies provided to locals whose homes were set ablaze last month. 

A Tatmadaw contingent coming from the direction of Kyauktaw town entered Phayarpaung village on October 9, according to U Thar Hla, a resident. 

“Security personnel went to some homes that were not burned and took relief items and food supplies donated by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and other well-wishers,” he said. 

In addition to relief supplies and food, security members took money from some, locals said. 

“They burgled more than K300,000 from my mother’s home. My mother asked a captain from the military to return the money, but she has not received it yet,” said Daw Thein Yee, a resident. 

Many Phayarpaung residents have fled to nearby settlements, fearful of remaining in their own village, and about 20 elderly people are taking shelter at the village’s monastery, according to locals. They added that Tatmadaw personnel have not yet left the village. 

DMG contacted U Myint Naing, the Lower House lawmaker for Kyauktaw Township, to enquire about the military’s alleged conduct in Phayarpaung, but he said he had not been briefed on the matter. 

DMG also phoned Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun of the Tatmadaw True News Information Team seeking comment on the locals’ accusations, but he could not be reached. 

More than 180 houses in Phayarpaung and neighbouring Taungpauk village were burned to the ground on September 3. 

The Tatmadaw has denied allegations made by locals that its troops were responsible for the fires. 

The Department of Disaster Management under the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement subsequently furnished fire victims from the two villages with K30.5 million for materials to rebuild their homes and other relief supplies.