Karenni internally displaced persons (IDPs) taking refuge in Nyaung Shwe Township, Shan State, are increasingly anxious over reports suggesting that local authorities may force them to return to their places of origin by the end of March 2025.

A Nyaung Shwe Township resident informed the Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) that the township’s General Administration Department has informally advised Karenni IDPs to prepare for relocation within the specified timeframe.

“Although no official directive has been issued yet, officials from the General Administration Department have mentioned this during meetings. If an official order is made, it will likely be announced this February, giving IDPs some time to make preparations,” the resident shared.

For many IDPs, the possibility of returning to their original homes has sparked fears and uncertainty, particularly as a significant number no longer have homes to return to.

“We are worried about being sent back. Most of us have lost our homes and only have land left. If they stop letting us stay here, we’ll have no choice but to leave. But if we go back, we’ll be living in tents,” one IDP told SHAN.

He added that financial constraints prevent many from traveling back to Loikaw, their hometown, and a resurgence of conflict would leave them unable to escape again.

At present, approximately 10,000 Karenni IDPs are residing in Nyaung Shwe Township. They are spread across 18 displacement camps, monasteries, and the homes of relatives.

The situation has been further exacerbated by dwindling humanitarian aid. Relief workers caution that food shortages may worsen in the summer months as donations for essential supplies, such as food and shelter, continue to decline.