Cost of rehabilitating Kachin IDPs put at over US$160 million

 

The estimated budget of the Joint Strategy Team is for a three-year operation that would cover eight facets of a formal return. 

These are (1) re-establishing communities and compensation, (2) protection, therapy, and negotiation, (3) livelihood, food supplies, and nourishment, (4) landmine education and clearance, (5) education, (6) health, (7) shelter, provision of clean water, toilets, plus personal and environmental hygiene, and (8) transport and infrastructure. 

Gwan Shar Aung, project negotiator of Metta Yeik Foundation, one of the groups in the Joint Strategy Team, said: “Our estimated budget is US$168 million. We made estimates based on these eight work programmes if the initial requirements are fulfilled and there is a better opportunity for IDPs to return home. This budget is for three years, until 2017.”

The estimated budget would cover all IDPs residing in camps in areas controlled by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the government.

“We are just preparing for the return of the IDPs in advance, but this is not a complete budget. We have only made an initial estimation of health, education, and demining. We haven’t calculated the entire cost yet,” Gwan Shar Aung said.

Guarantees for security, rehabilitation and livelihood were the main challenges for IDPs that return home, he said. The majority of people residing in over 60 IDP camps in Kachin State and northern Shan State gave the same answer when the Joint Strategy Team made surveys to about assistance to help them return home.

“Since the end of 2012, we have been asking IDPs that want to return home what the main requirements are for them to do that. A clear agreement between the government and the KIA is needed in order for them return home. If not, there’s no guarantee – if the fighting resumes after they go home, they would have to run away again.

“There’s nothing left for them when they return home, so they need assurance such as a livelihood assurance for a certain period of time. They also need assurance for rehabilitation. These are their main challenges in returning home,” he said.

The government and international groups would need to specify a concise time period for work programmes to ensure that IDPs continue to receive assistance, which is one of the major challenges getting the IDPs to return.

“Another important thing is the rights and safety of IDPs. Their safety is also important,” he said.

Around 120,000 people were forced to flee their homes after fighting resumed between the government and the KIA in 2011. The UN and international organisations have donated around US$35 million for the IDPs in the three years since and the Joint Strategy Team was only able to meet the requirements of 39 per cent of the 90,000 or so IDPs now in KIA-controlled areas.