Since fighting resumed between the Myanmar army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in June 2011 after the break down of a 17-year ceasefire, around 100,000 people have been displaced the country’s north.
Many have been living in limbo in small, cramped displacement shelters that were hastily built and barely able to withstand the freezing winters and monsoon’s torrential downpours. Jobs are scarce, aid support is dwindling and the future uncertain for these internationally displaced people (IDPs).
In early January, Myanmar Now spoke to IDPs in Myitkyina about their hopes and fears.
Ja Khun Ya, 40 (pictured above)
I’ve fled from conflict before when I was young. It was in 1987 when I was about 12 years old. So I have bitter experiences of civil war and politics. The present government does not love the people. My expectations are for the new government. All the displaced are looking forward to the new government to create (a country) where everyone is able to live happily and peacefully regardless of their race and religion.
We can return to our villages now if we would like to but now there is discrimination between Kachin and Shan people. There are people’s militia and they think the Kachins are affiliated with the KIA (Kachin Independence Army). So young people dare not go back home. If you go back, even though it’s your village, the authorities ask you to make a report like guest registration. They told me to do that when I went back once.
I have six children but no one to depend on. My husband died three years ago after we came to this camp. He got carried away by the current while out sifting for gold in the river.
We are now living in cramped conditions without any livelihood. We feel hopeless. We do not want to stay here anymore.
I want to urge the new government to achieve peace soon to help the IDPs and to rehabilitate our lives. I’d like to ask the current government to transfer power soon too, and to the international organisations not to forget us and continue their assistance.
Maran Shwe Lun, 74
On Saturday night there was gunfire in our village. We were scared and fled on Sunday morning. We couldn’t bring any clothes with us. We are really homesick but we don’t know when we can go back home.
There hasn’t been any fighting (in my village) for about a year now. But there are land mines everywhere, planted by both government troops and Kachin rebels. We dare not go back. The army is still there. We are afraid of both sides. We don’t want to be stuck in the middle if they meet and something happens.
The houses are now covered with bushes and there’s nothing left. So even if we go back I’m not sure how to continue our lives. But I am still very attached to it. I was born and grew up there and got married there. My family members are now all over the place. When our village was peaceful, it was a very pleasant place to be. Nobody imagined something like this would happen.
On election day, I woke up early in the morning to vote. I believe and agree with the election results. But I cannot forecast what will happen in the future because fighting is continuing.
Zau Pham, 20
I came to this IDP camp in 2012. We tried to stick it out in the village but we were afraid of both the government troops and Kachin rebels. I had to hide and run away to avoid being taken away by both groups. Previously we only feared recruitment from KIA but now we fear both. That’s why we left. Only old people remain in our village because the troops spared them from arrest. My mother is still there.
The five siblings came to stay here but our eldest brother died from a jaundiced liver disease on Dec. 23 last year. It’s not even a month since he passed away. First he was recruited by the KIA. He managed to flee and lived here but he was taken away again and then died. We are the only two men in our family so now I’m the eldest. I just arrived back from Namti. I worked as a tenant farmer there for nearly three months.
I didn’t vote in the Nov. 8 elections because I’m not interested in politics and I have been busy with work. But I hope to be able to return home and live in peace during the term of new government. You can only live and work well when there is peace.
Lahtaw Khun Ya, 40
Elderly people and those with a lot of children were urged to flee (the fighting) temporarily and that’s why we came here in October 2011. I didn’t imagine we’d have to stay here for this long.
I really want to go home. We have about five acres of land in the village. When we have no money, we can sell our pigs and hens. Here, the camp doesn’t even have enough space for us to live. And during monsoon, it floods.
For people like us who have a big family – there are 10 of us – it costs us at least 2,000 kyats a day for expenses. We have eight children. The youngest one is just a little over a year old and the eldest one is 20. My husband was diagnosed with diabetes last year so he cannot do manual labour. He is now taking medication. For mothers, even if we wanted to work, nobody would hire us. Since we cannot go home, we just have to continue living in this camp. We hope for peace under the new government.
Bawk Mai, 34
We used to receive rice, cooking oil, salt and pulses. But it was announced in November that we won’t get food anymore, that we would get cash instead. Apparently it’s because the number of people needing help has increased.
(Editor’s note:- the United Nations’ World Food Programme told Myanmar Now this is not directly linked to a $51 million funding shortfall and is to promote self-reliance)
It’s not easy to find jobs. Men can work as day labourers in construction sites or as carpenters. But that’s not a regular thing. There’s not much for women to do. Some would also go to construction sites. Women could get around 3,000 kyats a day, while men earn around 6,000 kyats.
In the village we always had work. If you have nothing to eat there’s the land and the gardens. There’s nothing here. My mind is constantly wandering to our plot. But both the military and the Kachin rebels are still passing through our village. We are stuck in the middle and we’re scared.
Hkun Baw La, 74
In our village the Buddhist monastery and the Christian church are only separated by a lane. Everyone knows each other.
For this civil war to end, the government needs to be magnanimous and discuss what the ethnic groups want, which is equal rights, in a fair manner. Then I don’t think there would be any need to resort to arms.
It’s so difficult to think of the future at this camp. The new government is coming. We have hope. But three important ministries will still be under (the military’s) control so it’s difficult to say.
And in this peace conference, nothing will be achieved if the only people there are the leaders from the two sides, or just from the armed groups and the authorities. It’s the women and children who are suffering the most, followed by elderly people. So (the conference) should have women, youth, and religious leaders.
You have to find a political solution. If you rely on a military solution, the situation won’t end after 100 years.
Seng Mai, 37
There was no time to pack anything. When we heard gun and mortar fire, the children were in school, so it was about finding them and running to the jungle. We walked half of the way and then took a long tail boat the other half. All we could think of was how can we get to the city quickest.
I’ve not once gone back to my village. All the belongings must be falling apart by now. Also, the Myanmar army was only at the top of the village before. Now it’s in the middle and the edge of the village. There are also apparently mines around the school and the market. We hear all sorts of things and that scares us. We are ready to go back any time if the village will be cleared (of mines) and there would be rehabilitation.
There are a lot of difficulties (living in the camp). For the moment we are getting some monetary support but we are not sure how long that is going to continue. We don’t have any capital or land here. Even for kids’ schooling, it’s supposed to be free but there are lots of other costs like tuition fees and expenses for events, books and gifts to the teachers. There are so many people in this camp who can’t afford any of that.
Zau Raw, 43
Fighting in our village, which is on the main road, started around 3 in the morning so we rushed out to board buses heading to Myitkyina. We arrived at the camp in June 22, 2011.
In the village I grew oranges. I went back once on a day trip and found the whole village is overrun by bushes and trees. You can’t even see the houses much anymore.
If I could, I’d go back tomorrow.
Here you can work as a day labourer but that’s only for about 10 days out of the year. Also, they only hire about 10 out of 100 men in the camp. There are too many people who want to work and not enough jobs.
I have a pig that the UNDP gave me and I bought a small one myself recently. The first one is now really big. I will sell it if I can get 250,000 kyats. I’ll use the money to send my daughter to boarding school. She’s now in 9th standard so it’s very important. The boarding school costs 750,000 kyats. If they live in the camp, the children pick up bad habits and there isn’t anywhere for them to study either. I really want her to get an education and that’s why I’m sending her to boarding school.
If we were still in the village, I wouldn’t send her because we could get good tuition teachers and I could afford the tuition just from the income from our farm and the orange grove.
We really want change.
(Editing by Ros Russell)
This article was originally published by Myanmar Now on 1/15/2015
All photos: Thin Lei Win / Myanmar Now
