Explosive remnants of war (ERWs) should not be concentrated in one place, said Ko Zaw Zaw Tun, general secretary of the Rakhine Ethnics Congress (REC), following reports of a cache of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Arakan State’s Rathedaung Township.

He said such stockpiles should be avoided as concentrations of munitions could lead to large explosions in the event of an accident.

“It is not known whether the explosive remnants of war were left as they are or [were used in combat but] did not explode. Regardless, there is danger ,” he said. “Explosive remnants of war must be destroyed with the help of technology. Otherwise, storing it somewhere is very dangerous.”

Ko Zaw Zaw Tun suggested that wherever ERWs are found to be present, they should be reported to local authorities and systematically disposed of.

“Unexploded ordnance should be systematically destroyed with the help of the relevant authorities or a nearby armed group. Or it may be that it is too dangerous. People should not touch them,” he explained.

On June 24, a local resident posted photos on his social media account that he said showed a large collection of UXO piled up near Ngasanbaw village in Rathedaung Township.

A local resident of Ngasanbaw village, who did not want to be named, said the unexploded artillery shells were located not far from where Myanmar military columns had passed through. He added that the artillery shells were reported to the Tatmadaw but had not been cleared.

“When we went to work in the fields, we met with a Myanmar military regiment and showed security personnel that there was unexploded ordnance. They said they would not retrieve the unexploded weapons because they were useless,” he said.

At present, unexploded artillery shells are still piled up at the site, according to locals.

Scores of people have been killed or injured in explosions of landmines and ERWs linked to two years of fighting between the military and the Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State, with many of the victims being children.