Lashio hit by junta airstrikes as efforts to return to normal continue

Northern Shan State’s largest city, Lashio, was hit by airstrikes late last week, a reminder of the conflict that saw it come under the control of an ethnic armed group less than a month ago. No casualties were reported in the incident, but a house and a school were damaged when a junta warplane dropped two bombs on the city’s Ward 9 on Friday, according to residents. Since falling to the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) on August 3, Lashio has been slowly recovering from the month of intense fighting that preceded that dramatic event. The ethnic Kokang armed group has worked to restore services as residents trickle back in. “It’s gradually returning to normal, but it’s still a long way from regaining the vibrant and bustling atmosphere it once had,” said a man who has lived in Lashio for nearly 30 years. With only around a quarter of its usual population, the city can be eerily quiet at times, according to the man: “It’s so silent that I feel a shiver down go my spine when I stay home alone.” Although some shops and markets have reopened, the main commercial areas are still largely closed. Power lines downed by the fighting are still being repaired, and mobile phone service is only available in some areas. Schools remain closed, and several educational facilities, including Lashio University, still bear the scars of war. As a result, many displaced residents have relocated to safer areas, whether under military regime control or in nearby towns held by anti-junta forces, to secure their children’s education. While most remain reluctant to settle back into their old lives, many have made brief visits to ensure they still have something to return to when the time comes. “I’ve just come back to my home to clean and secure it,” said a woman from Ward 1 who, like many others, worried about thieves stealing her property in her absence. She added that her children were the main reason that she is not yet ready to return for good. They’ve started school elsewhere and need to continue their education, she said. Ward 1, where many civil servants lived before the conflict, is still mostly empty, while other areas, such as Wards 4 and 5, have seen more of an influx of returnees, she added. Meanwhile, the MNDAA continues its efforts to establish an administrative mechanism in the city, including by forming a police force to ensure public safety. Security units can be seen patrolling neighbourhoods around Lashio, according to returning residents. The group has also resumed healthcare services in Lashio Hospital and is providing wifi service in each residential ward to facilitate communication, residents told Myanmar Now. The MNDAA has also invited civil servants who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement after the coup to return to their jobs. So far, it says, at least 270 have reapplied for their positions. While roads in the city have now been cleared of rubble, many buildings are still in ruins, bullet-riddled and barely standing. Some can be repaired, but others will need to be demolished and rebuilt. However, some residents claim that the damage is relatively minor compared to what they have seen in other areas in northern Shan State, likely due to the city’s relatively large size. But for now, most remain cautious about returning. Apart from security concerns, there is also the question of how to meet basic needs in a city where prices are high and job and business opportunities are scarce. “We’re unsure about how to rebuild our lives and make a living if we return,” said a resident still waiting to see how the situation in Lashio will evolve.

Lashio hit by junta airstrikes as efforts to return to normal continue

Nearly a month after the end of major clashes, concerns about safety are preventing many from returning to the city

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