Myanmar’s military regime has ordered the eviction of earthquake survivors in Mandalay from schools, sports grounds, monasteries, and religious halls where they have been sheltering since the 7.7-magnitude quake wrecked their homes in late March.
The eviction notice, set to take effect by the end of this month, has reignited fears among already traumatized displaced families. Township authorities have told them to relocate on their own, with regime shelters only available for those with nowhere else to go.
“They said if our homes are uninhabitable, we can move to the shelters they will set up. They said we would get tents and financial aid – but they didn’t say where. So, we have returned to live outside our damaged house for now,” said a displaced Chanayethazan Township resident who had been sheltering at the burned-out Mingalar Market site.
The regime has shut down all shelters in schools to prepare for the new academic year, which begins next week.
While some survivors are staying at temporary shelters in monasteries and sports grounds, others remain in makeshift roadside tents, braving the onset of monsoon storms.
A relief volunteer in Amarapura Township said most school shelters have already been closed.
“Some people have remained in camps because they are dependent on donations, while others are staying out of worry that surrounding buildings might collapse. The eviction notice has sparked fear among those whose houses were destroyed or badly damaged.”
A junta district administrator personally visited disaster areas and instructed victims to either return to their homes or move to a junta-organized site, according to the Chanmyathazi resident.
“Everyone shunned the [the junta] site and went back to their neighborhoods to live in makeshift tents.”
Two months after the earthquake, numerous residents are still struggling in rubble-strewn neighborhoods, unable to begin reconstruction due to a lack of financial support. Locals and relief workers report an urgent need for funds to assist recovery efforts.
The junta’s Mandalay Region government has set up four relief camps plus temporary shelters at a swimming pool. However, the camps are only open to those whose houses were destroyed in the quake.
