Cut off by conflict, farmers of the Chin Hills face mounting hardships

In normal times, Mone Pi and his wife would have had reason to celebrate. Their fields in the hills of Chin State’s Tedim Township did well this year: Their yield of bell peppers was higher than usual and ready to go to market. The only problem is that their main market, some 50 miles away in the Sagaing Region town of Kalay, might as well be in another country. After nearly five years of war, this remote corner of Myanmar has been torn into small pieces, each separated from the other by roadblocks and the constant threat of clashes. In May, fierce fighting broke out near Hmwar Pi, a village about 17 miles from Kalay, after resistance forces intercepted a column of around 800 junta troops advancing into Chin State. The two sides clashed for more than a month before the column retreated. The regime soldiers had been sent to retake a key camp in Taingen, a village on the Kalay-Tedim road that they lost in January 2024. The road, which serves as the main gateway to northern Chin State and is also part of the India–Myanmar Border Trade Route No. 2, is currently blockaded. Travellers who have attempted to use it have reported arrest, extortion, and torture by junta troops. Meanwhile, resistance forces brace for another attempt by the regime to break through their defences. Civilians now avoid the road at all costs amid fears of renewed fighting. Bell peppers that used to sell well now sit unsold with growers, too far from the markets (Photo: Katy Khwa Khun Po) Left to rot As a result, Mone Pi and other farmers in the area can only watch helplessly as their seasonal crops—mostly eggplants, bell peppers, potatoes, and corn—spoil after harvesting. “This year, the roads were blocked during harvest, preventing us from sending our crops to Kalay,” said Mone Pi. “We managed to sell some before the blockade, but the rest were left to rot.” Attempts to send the produce to Kalay via an alternative route failed, he said, because it took too long. In the end, he lost not only his bell peppers, but also the extra money he spent on shipping costs. Growing crops has also become more expensive, he added, because the junta has restricted shipments of fertilisers and other goods—including medicine—into Chin State. Many local farmers also raise livestock, with most having at least one pig. This has also become more costly, as feed such as rice bran and broken rice is no longer so affordable. Mann Kyin raises more animals than most people in her village. In addition to pigs, she also has cows, chicken, goats, and gayals—an indigenous species of ox. “I keep chickens for our own meat, not for sale,” she said, cutting morning glory to feed her pigs. “Since there are no meat or fish vendors here, we have to raise what we want to eat ourselves.” The political situation has taken a toll on her livestock, she said. “Many of our free-roaming gayals have died from landmines. And we have to be careful not to step on the mines when we go to check on the animals.” Women working at a farm (Photo: Katy Khwa Khun Po) Forced from their homes Being forced to flee advancing junta columns has also impacted people’s livelihoods, and their quality of life. When fighting breaks out, it could mean extended absences from their homes. In addition to worrying about lost crops, they are also filled with anxiety about whether they will have homes to return to. “After a column passes through, we often return to find houses burned, riddled with bullets, or ransacked, forcing us to repair them before moving back in,” said one local man, cleaning his home-made hunting rifle. Chin people find this especially hard, as they take great pride in their homes, and often spend years saving to build strong, sturdy houses for their families. These days, however, many are forced to live in farm huts or in simple shelters in the forest. Necessity has also forced other changes. No longer able to get enough rice to feed themselves, many Chin people have gone back to eating old staples such as boiled corn and finger millet to survive. Chin elders said it felt like a return to the past. With malaria and influenza rampant, however, a simple change of diet is not enough to maintain good health. Medicine is also necessary, and to earn enough money to buy it, many displaced people spend much of their time trying to find odd jobs. Once poor but peaceful, Chin State now has an estimated 100,000 residents forced to live without many basic necessities. One woman told Myanmar Now in July that while she managed to survive, she has suffered many losses. “I’ve been displaced for over a month this time,” she said wearily, adding firewood to her stove. “I worry about when I can return—or whether my home is even there anymore.”

Cut off by conflict, farmers of the Chin Hills face mounting hardships

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