Narinjara News, March 8, 2023

IDPs arebeing coerced into returning to their former villages by the military, despitethe risk of landmines, and the lack of preparations for proper food and shelterin their home villages. The Military Council failed to adequately prepare and implementrehabilitation plans for the repatriation of IDPs.

“ We havereturned to our village, which had been abandoned for three or four years. Ourhouses are in a state of disrepair and most families cannot afford to renovatethem. As a result, we are living in temporary tents within the compounds. We areencountering various challenges regarding basic necessities such as food andshelter”, a repatriated IDP said.

This forcedrepatriation by the Military Council authorities has used as a pretext that“peace and stability have been restored in Rakhine State.” and the military authoritiesare providing a small amount of financial aid to internally displaced people(IDPs)’

Some repatriatedvillagers told Narinjara, “ The Chief Minister had pledged to eliminate thelandmines, yet the mine clearing operations have even started. They providedeach household that was compelled to return home with 600,000 kyats and onemonth’s ration of rice, but in this age of soaring commodity prices, this sumis insufficient to reconstruct a house.

Even if wewere to gather wood and bamboo from the woods, the threat of landmines is aconstant concern. Presently, the repatriated individuals are in dire straitswithout food or housing..”

On March3rd, the Military Council repatriated 532 individuals who were seeking refugein the Yaehpyukan IDP camp located in Ponnagyun Township, without providing anypreparation period. These displaced persons hailed from Thazi, Kyauk Seik,Painne Taw, Doe Tan, and Nhamada villages in Paletwa Township, Chin State.

In thecurrent situation, the presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance remnantsin and around the farms and orchards of repatriates’ native communities is impedingtheir ability to resume their livelihoods, and proving to be a huge challengefor the villagers.

“ In ourvillage, only a handful of people are engaged in farming, primarily relying onorchard cultivation for their livelihood. However, with the persistent presenceof uncleared landmines, no one dares to venture back into the orchards tocontinue their work”, a repatriated IDP from Myebon Township said.

Individualswho were forced to return to their villages may confront the dire consequencesof starvation, when the rice and financial aid supplied by the Military Councilstarts to be depleted.

On November26th, an informal ceasefire agreement was abruptly reached between the ArakanArmy (AA) and the Military Council. With the cessation of hostilities inRakhine State, the Military Council initiated efforts to compel IDPs to returnto their homes, coercing them to sign documents admitting that they werereturning voluntarily.

Indeed, theMilitary Council has been severing the supply of food to the IDP camps sincethe resurgence of fighting in Rakhine in early 2022.

Consequentlythose displaced by the conflict have been compelled to forage for

sustenanceon their own.

Last month,the Chairman of the Rakhine State Stability, Peace, and Development Work CoordinationCommittee under the Military Council, Minister of Border Affairs LieutenantGeneral Tun Tun Naing, the Minister of Social Welfare and Resettlement Daw ThetThet Khaing, and the Chief Minister of Rakhine State paid a visit to the IDPcamps in Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, and Minbya townships.

During thevisit, they urged those displaced by the conflict to return to their homesbefore the onset of the rainy season. Following the officials’ visit, theMilitary Council began dismantling some IDP camps in Minbya, Myebon, andPonnagyun townships and compelled those displaced by the conflict to return totheir own villages.

Photo– Displaced people who were repatriated from Yaehpyukan IDP camp in Ponnagyun