More than a decade ago, renewed conflict in Kachin State forced hundreds of thousands of local civilians to flee their homes. Now, despite ongoing instability in Myanmar’s northernmost state, some have begun to return.
In March, a number of long-abandoned villages in Kachin’s Myitkyina and Waingmaw townships saw an influx of former residents. Most felt real trepidation at the prospect of going back to the lives they had left behind.
“The houses were all overgrown with vines and bushes and there are trenches dug in every yard,” said Hka N Shawng, who returned to the village of Gar Ra Yang in Waingmaw Township.
“We don’t know what happened during the battles in my village. There could be leftover munitions, so it’s very scary, being home,” she added.
The reasons for the villagers’ return are complex. Some had a genuine desire to reclaim their old homes, while others felt pressured by regime authorities, who have threatened to shut down camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in some urban areas of the state.
It is still unclear how the returning villagers will survive. Even after leaving the IDP camps, it is likely that they will continue to need outside assistance until they can re-establish themselves.
“We used to keep farm animals, but we let them go the night we fled, so they’re all gone now,” said Maran Lu, a 90-year-old villager who until recently lived in an IDP camp in Waingmaw.
Meanwhile, the spectre of conflict remains. On Monday, clashes between junta forces and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) near the village of Nam Sang Yang in eastern Waingmaw Township forced many recent returnees to flee again, according to a report by the Kachin News Group.
Text and Photos by Yawng Htang
Waingmaw Township (Yawng Htang)
