Displaced fishermen from Rakhine State seeking refuge in Pathein Township’s Chaungtha and Shwethaungyan towns, have been ordered to leave by junta officials following a directive from the Ayeyarwady Region’s Chief Minister, according to accounts from the displaced people.
On 14 December, local authorities, including the Pathein Township Administrator, District Administrator, and a police chief, visited the locations where the displaced fishermen are staying and informed them of the decision.
“They told us that, according to a meeting resolution, the Chief Minister ordered our removal within a week. They also accused us of being squatters,” said one of the displaced individuals.
The fishermen fled to Chaungtha and Shwethaungyan towns in late November but were banned from fishing upon arrival. Now, they are also being prohibited from staying in the area.
Another displaced person stated that junta officials justified the removal by claiming that the presence of the fishermen and their makeshift tents would pollute the hotel zone.
“They are saying living in tents is inappropriate and constitutes squatting. But since we arrived, we’ve been renting coconut groves and living on rented land. We haven’t encroached on anything. We’ve asked to stay here peacefully and to be allowed to fish again,” he said.
He also expressed concerns over the junta’s plans to relocate them to Pyapon and Ama townships, noting the challenges they would face, including high transportation costs, long distances, and unfamiliar fishing practices in the proposed areas.
The displaced group includes approximately 1,000 fishermen and their families from Gwa and Thandwe townships in Rakhine State, along with over 70 motorized fishing boats.
They are currently await further instructions from junta officials and are anxious about the possibility of forced removal. “If we’re relocated, it will disrupt our lives and livelihoods,” one fisherman said.