Navigating a Minefield

In 2023, Myanmar recorded the worst annual landmine casualties in the world for the first time, according to the most recent Landmine Monitor report. After decades of contamination, the conflict since the 2021 coup has seen a sharp increase in the deadly and indiscriminate use of anti-personnel mines, with children and other civilians suffering the consequences. As the threat increases, however, Myanmar remains severely under-resourced in terms of risk education and support for survivors compared to other conflict areas.

Over the coming year, Insight Myanmar will be producing an in-depth series titled “Navigating a Minefield”, exploring the situation on the ground, impacts on survivors and communities, and humanitarian mine action that is changing people’s lives. The series will include testimonials from survivors who are overcoming trauma, with the support of their communities and a dedicated network of humanitarian organizations.

More information about the series and multilingual risk education materials are available on the Insight Myanmar website under the “Navigating a Minefield” section. We are joining a network of media outlets publishing in Burmese, ethnic languages, and English, in Myanmar and the diaspora, supporting increased awareness and education on the risks of landmines and explosive remnants of war among at-risk populations. We encourage listeners to share these resources with their friends and colleagues to mitigate the risk and to advocate for the end of this awful threat.

Episodes will be released every month featuring interviews with experts and community leaders making a difference on humanitarian mine action, examining this complex, sensitive, and terrible issue from diverse perspectives and subject domains. We see these discussions on history, policy, and coordinated action as complementary to the risk education and survivor support that is literally saving lives.

PODCAST EPISODES

Testimonies from the Field

My name is Daw Si Si, and I live at .... village, in Chuaung -U Township. There are 3 family members, myself 54 years, my husband 56 years and my daughter who is 18 this year with my husband and 18-year-old daughter. We have a small betel leave farm and that we rely on that for our livelihood. For on those days that we do not pick betel leaves are not picked, we will do odd jobs to earn our family & sustenance. Previously, my daughter hoped to learn sewing so that she may might have a stable career in the future. My husband relied mainly on the betel leave farm for our family income.

In June 2024, our village was raided by junta forces. Our family tried to flee to safety together with other villagers. Unfortunately for us, we ran directly into the junta force and were taken as hostages, to be used as human shields for them. They told us to walk in front of them and we have to walk as per theird to follow their instructions. At one point, I heard a loud noise and before I knew it, I felt pain in my tight thigh. Some of the villagers were injured also.

I was hospitalized after this incident. Medical expenses were a huge burden for us, and apart from that I felt sad, depressed and just wanted to die. But I tried to stay strong for my family. Now the wound is healing better than before, and I can walk slowly.

However, I felt bad for my daughter as she had pausedto pause her sewing class to take care of me and, since my husband was recently treated for hemorrhoidsa medical condition, my daughter had to work at the betel farm. My husband also wanted her to follow her wishdreams.

Now, thanks to the contacts of provided by the village leader, I received 500,000 MMKkyat and I could use this for for medical expenses, transportation and meal costsfood. I feel lucky receivingto have received this assistance as I do not have to worry about medical expenses, and I was able to get proper medical treatment. As the local defense forces helped, the transportation cost was reduced when going to the hospital was reduced.

Due to this, I was able to save a small amount of money which I used to letenable my daughter to continue her sewing class. I am happy to see my daughter happily learning something she enjoys. Seeing her smile made me forget my injuries. During this challenging time, I am glad to receive cash assistance which has been very helpful not only for me but also for my daughter. is truly a miracle. It was such an important assistance for me. I am thankful to the donor for giving assistance to families like us who are facing a lot of different challenges. I would like to thank everyone who made this VA assistance possible and wish them the best of luck.

My name is Ko Aye Kyi and I live at .... village, in Myaung Township. I am 53, one of four years and there are 4 family members in my family,including myself, my wife, my son and his wife. Previously we getreceived income from our farm, but currently it was is difficult to do so because there is a junta base camp about 1 mile from our farm.

When the situation is okay, we will go to our farm to work, but when the junta forces come, we would have to flee to safety and cannot look after the crops. As a result, the yield of the crops has decreased and our income reduced, and we could have barely get back recovered what we invested. My wife’s is health is poor so she can’t do hard labor and both my son and his wife don’t have a stable jobs, so our family is struggling just to have food to eat.

Luck was not with me, and on 17‐06‐in June 2024, around 5pm, I heard loud noises. Worried, we went to the village monastery to hide. As we were entering the village monastery, the Aartillery shelling fell near the fence of the monastery and I was hit. At that timeIn that moment, I couldn’t feel both of my legs and all I could see was blood everywhere.

At that time, the junta forces were firing nonstop with Aartillery around our village. Therefore no one dared to go out and I couldn’t goet to anya clinic or hospital. The villagers thatwho were inside the monastery helped to stop the bleeding. Only on 18‐06‐2024 morning, I get toIt was only the following day that I was able to go to the hospital. Judging from themy injuries I had, I kneow how serious it iswas and I cried knowing I maymight not walk again like before. Seeing me crying, my wife was saddened and she cried also wept.

Apart from feeling sadheartbroken about my legs, I was also worried about the medical expenses. I knoew going to the hospital would needrequire a lot of money and we don’t have any savings. My wife went to her relatives to borrow money and with the money she borrowed, which we used to gowe went to the hospital.

When we reached Mandalay Hospital, the doctors told us that they would have to amputate my left leg, and my right leg was broken. Hearing the news, my wife faintedlost consciousness. Although I knoew my injuries were serious, hearing from the doctor about the amputation, I cried bitterly and wished I had died instead.

I had to go into operation 3be operated on three times and the doctors amputated my left leg. I can'tcouldn’t eat or sleep because I kept thinking that without my leg, I can could no longer work in the field like before. My wife’s health iswas getting worse again as she was saddened to see me depressed. While I was hospitalized, my wife unfortunately had to be treated as well and we haved to spend the money we had borrowed from the relatives. We were at a losts on what to do or, I should say, how to survive.

It mMay be that I still haved some luck, because the village leaders connected us with an organization that is giving assistance to explosive ordnance victims and I received 500,000 MMKkyat. I am glad I could use this money to pay for the medical expenses. I want to say thank you to the donor for helping people like us during this difficult time. I know it is not easy to borrow even 10,000 kyat since everyone is having a hard time., I can’t believe I received 500,000 MMKkyat. I still haven’t been discharged from the hospital yet and the doctor said I still have to have another operation. This assistance came in just at the right time.

 I sincerely hope that no one will have to go through what I did and become disabled like me. I hope we can stay in a safe place where we won’t be exposed to the explosive ordnance and that we can have EOREexplosive ordnance risk education awareness for the community. Thank you all for giving me a glimpse of hope during my darkest time.