Kantarawaddy Times
The Pa-O National Organization (PNO), which operates under the military junta, issued a statement on June 15 demanding the relocation of over 6,000 residents from two villages such as Naung Kyaw and Taung Shet, in Hsihseng Township.
Although authorities extended the relocation deadline by five more days, as of now, only about 50% of the villagers have relocated, with the rest remaining behind.
The PNO has also instructed villagers not to scatter into forests and hills individually but instead to gather and live together in the compound of Mway Taw Pagoda in Hpayar Phyu.
However, the designated relocation area is too cramped for 6,000 people. Besides the limited space, they could only arrange and provide for staying, leading to significant difficulties, especially for food, according to a member of the Pa-O Youth Organization.
“Currently, displaced people who’ve arrived in Hsihseng have received no aid at all. They are in a very difficult situation. Many of them have already invested heavily in farming, so they are now struggling even to meet basic needs like food and shelter,” said a representative from the Pa-O Youth Organization.
The representative also explained that around 50% of the people who relocated are from families with relatively stable financial situations. In contrast, families who couldn’t afford to move chose to remain near their original villages.
“Only those who are financially stable have relocated. Those who are struggling financially have stayed behind, continuing to live in the surrounding hills and farmlands while trying to work on the farms,” he added.
It remains unclear how the PNO will handle those who refuse to leave. Communication with the remaining villagers is difficult due to disrupted phone and internet services, making it hard to gather full details.
In recent days, six homes in Tapu Hto village, where junta and PNO joint forces are stationed, were burned down. Although locals claim the homes were torched because the residents refused to relocate, the exact reason remains unconfirmed.
Those who have stayed behind continue to face serious risks, including artillery shelling, drone attacks, and increased illness due to the seasonal transition. Medical care is also inaccessible because the main roads to the hospital are blocked, the Pa-O Youth Organization reported.
The PNO has ordered the following villages to evacuate, including Tapu Hto, Kaung Hto, Lwei Ngone, Naung Bo, Pin Set (from Naung Kyaw village tract), and Naung Htaw 6, and Kalar Lam (from Taung Shet village tract).
