The Kachin Humanitarian Concern Committee (KHCC) announced plans to resettle hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Puta-O Township, Kachin State.
KHCC chair Rev. Dr. Hkalam Samson says: “It’s not possible for these IDPs to return to their villages, so we discussed it with the government.”
“We’ve already bought land plots in Puta-O and we’re starting the resettlement program,” he says.
Staff from the land management department measured the land plots at the site where IDPs from Lung Tsawt camp will be resettled. KHCC will resettle them near Tsi Dam Pa village in Machanbaw Township.
Facing difficulties living in the camp, IDPs sent letters to the Kachin Baptist Convention and Kachin State Chief Minister Hkyet Awng (Khat Aung) in early February asking for help to resettle. They do not want to return to their villages because the Burma Army has built a base nearby.
Lung Tsawt camp leader Hpung Hti says the land they will move to is about 12 miles from their camp. He says many people are concerned because the location is too far from the nearest town. “If it’s possible, we’d like a better location to be resettled. We understand that it’s hard to find land available, but IDPs want to live somewhere not far from a town. They really don’t like the new location,” Hpung Hti says.
There are more that 300 internally displaced persons from 77 families living at Lung Tsawt. Most are from the villages of N’hka Ga, N’hpyi Ga, Hpakan, and Ning Tan Gawng in Machyangbaw Township. They fled fighting between the Burma Army and Kachin Independence Army in 2012.
IDPs in Nam Jan Hku camp, located in Hpakant Township, have also requested KHCC’s help to resettle because they do not want to return to their original villages.
