Some residents from villages on the eastern part of Pekhon Lake, in Pekhon Township, Southern Shan State, are having to seek permission from troops of the military council or junta and the Pa-O National Organization (PNO) stationed in the village to harvest their cultivated rice, according to a local man who spoke to Kantarawaddy Times.

“As far as I know, some villagers are indeed asking for permission from the soldiers stationed in the village to go back and harvest their rice, but it’s a minority,” a male resident said.

These villagers had fled due to offensives by the military council and PNO allied troops. But now, during the harvest season, they are eager to return and harvest their planted rice for their livelihood. Because the fields are close to the village, residents fear artillery fire, drones, and airstrikes. That is why the villagers are seeking permission from the junta troops before harvesting.

Even though they are harvesting after seeking permission, the situation is not smooth, the resident added.

“Harvesting is not easy. They (the soldiers) fire shots unpredictably that we can hear from time to time. We can’t work freely,” he said.

Only some villagers have returned to harvest with permission, while others have not come back due to security concerns.

“I’ve heard about people requesting permission to harvest. But I haven’t gone back myself. I still have farmland there, but I don’t dare return because it is not safe,” another local man said.

Locals say that because they have been displaced and unable to properly tend to their rice fields, they are facing issues like reduced crop yield and stunted plant growth.

After the joint offensives by the junta and PNO forces, most villages on the eastern part of Pekhon Lake were displaced. By July, the military junta regained control of the area. However, most residents still have not returned due to security concerns.