The villagers were returning to their homes in Koong Nim Village because the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N) and the government’s Union Peacemaking Working Committee (UPWC) agreed to a ceasefire on 7 and 8 December, after two months of fighting in central Shan State.

Though both sides agreed to withdraw at the ceasefire talks their troops remain in the area, but there has been no fighting between them since the end of November.

A Koong Nim resident who was later forced to return to the IDP camp said: “Because the fighting has stopped, we decided to go back to our village. We were kept in Koong Nim Temple for about two hours. The Burma Army asked us who had allowed us to return home. They said we should not go home if they had not given us permission."

He also said: "The Burma Army said they will inform us [about when we can go home] in the next two months. It was lucky for us that they did not harm anyone."

Though no one was harmed when they returned all the villagers' possessions had been stolen from their homes whilst they were away. The stolen goods included 262 buffaloes, 239 cows, 289 pigs, 117 chickens, 19 motorcycles, six rice milling machines, over 500 rice storage containers and 1,000 corn storage container.

Koong Nim Village has 130 families with 500 residents who fled to Hai Pa during the recent conflict.

One of the village heads of Mong Hsu Township who wished to remain anonymous said: “We are planning a new place for IDPs to resettle in Wan Kaung near Hai Pa village. The refugees will be moved to a new place where they will have space for planting.”

This current Burma Army offensive against the SSPP/SSA-N in central Shan State was launched on 6 October. The fighting continued through till the end of November and caused the displacement of over 10,000 civilians from Kesi, Mong Hsu and Mong Nong Townships.

By SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N)