Military council forces attack during planting and harvesting seasons, forcing locals to halt agricultural activities

Photo-A scene showing local farmers in Hlaingbwe Township, Kayin State. Residents said that the military council forces are carrying out aerial attacks, ground offensives, and artillery shelling during the planting and harvesting seasons for the economic activities of civilian populations. As a result, residents' agricultural economic activities have been halted, and they are facing difficulties in obtaining daily necessities. "Our region has different crops according to the season. We should have income according to the season. But now, when they (military council forces) come in, we have to flee again. If we leave these fruits unharvested, they will overripen, rot, or spoil. If it's at the seedling stage, we get no fertilizer, nothing, so there's no income. It's time to harvest bamboo shoots, but we are fleeing. How can we dare to enter the village when they are in the village? " said a local resident from a village in Bilin Township, which is frequently entered by military council troops. In southern Myanmar, Mon State and Kayin State, the current military situation is tense, and villagers primarily engage in seasonal agriculture. In addition to rice, during the rainy season, they cultivate and harvest crops such as taung than, tea leaves, durian, danyin, and betel nut. During the dry season, they cultivate and harvest rubber, groundnuts, and sesame. During the summer, they cultivate and harvest fruits like mayan and minkok. The current period is the time to harvest and sell cultivated durian, danyin, taung than, and cotton. However, due to battles, ground offensives by military council forces, artillery shelling from stationed battalions and camps, and aerial attacks, not only are agricultural fields damaged, but villagers are also arrested, tortured, and killed. Therefore, civilians are fleeing to safe places, abandoning their work, upon hearing news related to the military situation involving the military council forces. "We still haven't dared to return to the village for about three months. They are in the village. They ransack houses. They fire artillery. If they see someone, they will arrest them, so we don't dare to return," said a female resident from Laykay village in Bilin Township. A responsible person from the Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN), a Karen civil society organization, said, "It is true that we are facing various difficulties during this early rainy season compared to other seasons. In a situation where there is no security anywhere and no stable place (long-term settlement) can be established, food, medicine, and tent shelters are basic needs that must be prioritized." Furthermore, he added, "The terrorist military has been carrying out daily aerial and ground attacks during the planting and harvesting seasons of the people for five or six years, so the displaced people are struggling to survive in a situation where they have no other option but to rely on external humanitarian assistance." A rice farmer from Farpun Township, where fierce battles are taking place, said that it has been three years, including this year, since they have been unable to cultivate rice due to the military council's troop movements and aerial attacks. "The income is not very much, of course. But we eat what we grow. One season's cultivation is enough for a year. We sell the surplus. Now, we don't even have enough to eat," he said. Currently, battles are occurring near the Farpun strategic area of the military council forces, and the military council forces are also conducting troop movements from Kamaung Township. In areas that rely on agriculture, operations have been halted due to the military council's troop movements, and some people are also leaving to work in neighboring Thailand. Editor: Aung Kyaw Phyo The post Military council forces attack during planting and harvesting seasons, forcing locals to halt agricultural activities appeared first on BUR.MIZZIMA.COM.