Khin Tharaphy Oo — Now sheltering in camps for internally displaced people (IDPs), residents of Marlar village in Kyauktaw Township, Arakan State, have asked the local government to arrange for them to gather belongings left behind in the village.
The Marlar villagers say allowing the return of property left behind will go some way toward addressing the livelihood and social problems they are facing.
The villagers sent an appeal to the Arakan State government on December 31, requesting that arrangements be made for the return of their belongings.
“We have to ask because if we can get back the things left in the village, we will be able to partially solve our livelihood hardships,” said U Saw Shwe Thein, a Marlar resident currently living at an IDP camp in Kyauktaw Township.
As clashes between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA) have ceased in Arakan State, IDPs will no longer need to worry about their safety when returning home to gather their belongings, according to U Win Myint, a spokesman for the state government.
“The fighting has stopped in Arakan State and IDPs can go back home to take their belongings without worrying about their security,” said the spokesman, who is also Arakan State’s minister for Municipal Affairs.
U Saw Shwe Thein said some residents did not dare go back to the village because Tatmadaw troops had been stationed on the hills near Marlar since March 2020.
“The Tatmadaw opened fire on the village when seeing movement of people in the village. Some people were arrested by the military when they returned to home to carry their property. This is the reason why we submitted an appeal to the local government,” he explained.
U Tun Win, the Lower House MP for Kyauktaw Township, said it would not be possible for the Marlar villagers to retrieve their belongings from their village without cooperation from the government.
“It will not be easy for the villagers to return home for the time being. It is not possible for the villagers to come to the village until the relevant organisations, the government agencies and the armed groups, give them real compassion and allow them to provide some care and assistance,” the lawmaker said.
Due to the Tatmadaw-AA conflict, the number of IDPs in Arakan State topped 230,000 in October, before falling to below 200,000 as IDPs have returned to their homes in the absence of fighting over recent weeks. The remaining displaced populations continue to face significant hardship, struggling to meet basic needs such as food, accommodation and healthcare.
