Although the military junta has permitted the return of residents to Chaunghnitkhwa village in Kyaikmaraw Township, Mon State, most locals are reluctant to return due to the village’s extensive destruction, according to residents.
Following intense clashes between joint revolutionary forces and junta forces on November 10, 2023, locals fled the area. Despite a subsequent lull in fighting, the military junta did not allow villagers to return until nearly nine months later.
“They started letting us back in on the 21st. However, the villagers only went to check their homes, collected what was left, and then left the village again,” said a local.
Nearly half of the houses in Chaunghnitkhwa village have been burned down, and the remaining houses have been looted and vandalized, making it difficult for residents to resettle, according to locals.
“Nothing is left in the houses. Even the items from my mother’s shop were stolen. The machinery from the factory was also taken. Everything is destroyed,” said another resident.
The military junta continues to maintain a presence in Chaunghnitkhwa, and those returning to the village are subjected to strict inspections before being allowed to enter, residents report.
At least ten civilians were killed, and over twenty were injured during the clashes in Chaunghnitkhwa. Additionally, more than 100 homes were burned down, and the Chaunghnitkhwa Bridge over the Attayan River on the Mudon–Kyainseikgyi road was destroyed by landmines planted by junta forces.
