According to U Boreh, the National Parliament representative from De Maw So Township a resettlement programme for internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is resettling refugees in Hsa Taw Township and those refugees’ lives will be threatened if the landmines are not cleared.

Though he asked the relevant Union Minister whether he would instigate a programme to clear the mines around the Mega Power electrical pylons and in some other areas he received no reply, said U Boreh.

He said: “I made the proposal with the IDPs in mind because they must not face any dangers when they return to their old places, but the Border and Security Union Minister did not answer.”

Hsa Taw Township saw the most fighting in Karenni State before the ceasefire agreement between the government and the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) was signed in March 2012.

Until landmines are entirely cleared from the whole state the government and armed groups should urgently share their knowledge about where landmines are located and educate people about the dangers of landmines.

Sayar Plureh said: “There are unexploded munitions piled up in Daw-Ta-Ma-Gyi Village-Tract. Some people do not know about how dangerous these are and they try to touch, lift and even hit them with stones.”

Although both the government and KNPP agreed, as part of the peace talks, to clear the mines they have done nothing yet. If they start clearing mines civil society groups can help them, he said.

When Electricity Department staff and government soldiers were clearing bushes around the electricity pylons near Shan-Kwet-Thit Village in Lawpita Village-Tract, Loikaw Township on 5 January some soldiers were injured when landmines were detonated.

Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI