Victims of landmines and explosive remnants in Arakan State call for urgent humanitarian assistance

By Admin 11 May 2026

DMG Newsroom

11 May 2026, Mrauk-U

People injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in Arakan State are facing severe livelihood hardships and urgently need humanitarian assistance, according to local residents and victims.

Many survivors have lost limbs due to explosions caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance left behind by the conflict. They are now in need of continued medical treatment, livelihood support, mobility assistance, and psychological rehabilitation.

“There are still landmine fragments inside my leg, so it constantly aches. Sometimes the pain becomes unbearable. I have to rely on painkillers, but I cannot afford proper treatment because of financial difficulties. If I had enough money, I would seek proper medical care,” said Ma Shwe Yee Than, a landmine survivor from Mrauk U Township.

Nineteen-year-old Ma Shwe Yee Than stepped on a landmine on 7 May 2025 while collecting firewood in the Lwin Mway mountain range in Mrauk-U Township. The explosion severed her leg above the knee, and fragments from the blast remain lodged in her body.

She is currently struggling with economic hardship and is seeking assistance from social welfare organizations.

Similarly, 35-year-old U Maung Shwe from Mel Taung Chay Village in Ann Township said he is deeply worried about his children’s education after losing a leg in a landmine explosion while cutting bamboo in the forest.

“Since I stepped on the landmine, I had to take my children out of school because I can no longer afford the expenses. It breaks my heart to see them unable to continue their education because of what happened to me. I want them to return to school and continue learning,” he said.

U Maung Shwe lost his right leg below the knee after stepping on a landmine on 5 February 2025 and is now unemployed.

Families whose primary earners have become disabled due to landmine incidents are facing worsening livelihood crises, while many children are being forced to abandon their education. Residents say there is an urgent need for free education support for affected families.

At a time when even able-bodied residents are struggling under the regime’s blockades and restrictions, people living with disabilities caused by war injuries are facing even greater hardships.

Victims also highlighted the urgent need for mobility aids such as crutches and prosthetic limbs, vocational support, and long-term psychological care.

“Now I can no longer stand on my own two feet. I have to depend on others for everything. If I still had my leg, I could go wherever I wanted and work for myself. Now I cannot do that anymore. Sometimes these thoughts overwhelm me and leave me emotionally devastated,” Ma Shwe Yee Than said.

Large parts of Arakan State remain contaminated by landmines and explosive remnants of war as fighting continues across the region, posing ongoing threats to civilians.

According to data from the United Nations and Landmine Monitor, at least 400 people were injured or killed by landmines and explosive remnants in Arakan State between 2019 and 2024.

Around 70 percent of those victims suffered limb amputations, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance across the state.