Pandemic’s latest wave likely to delay return of Tinma villagers

By DMG 27 Jul 2021

DMG Newsroom
27 July 2021, Kyauktaw

The Arakan State Administration Council has reportedly done no preparation for the return of displaced Tinma village residents to their homes in Kyauktaw Township. 

The Tinma villagers fled their homes amid clashes between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army in March 2020. 

In late June, more than a year after their displacement, Tinma villagers met with the Kyauktaw Township administrator, immigration officers, police and military personnel and agreed to return to their village in October. 

But the military authorities are not yet clearing landmines and rebuilding houses as per their agreement, said Tinma villager U Saw Thein. 

“They said they would rebuild houses and clear landmines. So far, they have done nothing. They have said nothing about other rehabilitation works,” he said. “We are scheduled to return by October. So, we want them to make preparations in advance.” 

At the meeting in June, Tinma villagers were reportedly told that the returnees would be provided with K500,000 and a month’s ration of rice per household, and that houses would be built in their village as well as jobs arranged. 

The abbot of the Tinma village monastery, Ashin Wayamida, said: “It is time they cleared landmines and consulted with community elders about how the houses will be built. They need to walk the walk.” 

Amid the third wave of Covid-19 in Arakan State, however, others see more pressing concerns than the return of IDPs to their home villages. 

The military government is prioritising the prevention of Covid-19 outbreaks at IDP camps over the return of IDPs to their homes. 

“For the time being, getting Covid-19 protection materials to IDP camps is a more urgent issue. We are working to send food supplies to Sinbawkaing IDP camp, which is under lockdown. The return of IDPs will take a back seat to anti-coronavirus efforts,” said U Than Tun, a member of the Arakan State Administration Council. 

After Tinma residents fled their village in March of last year, 132 houses in the village and the village monastery were destroyed, according to villagers. 

An informal ceasefire in Arakan State has held firm for some nine months, but more than 100,000 IDPs in the state remain reluctant to return home, concerned about landmine risks and other difficulties.