How People Survive War: A Study of Displaced Families in Southern Shan State, Myanmar
Nandiya Bhikkhu Pekhon[1]
TRACK: Buddhism and Sustainable Development
Abstract
From 2021 to 2025, the “Myanmar Spring Revolution” has continued to grow.
As a result, the war zone has also become larger. Myanmar citizens continue to suffer
more in the civil war area. Many villages and cities have been attacked,
bombed, and burned. People have attempted to flee and return, only to be forced
to flee again. As a result, the internally displaced persons (IDPs) population
has increased in the country. This paper explores how people in the Pekhon and
Pinlaung regions became IDPs and how they are trying to survive the war. It
also explores what kind of challenges they deal with and what kind of support they
need.
The objective of this research is to highlight the lived experience of
IDPs and the situation of civil war in the Southern Shan State of Myanmar. The
specific study is “To explore the story of Internally Displaced Persons during
civil war and to examine the physical and psychological challenges of IDPs.”
The research problem is that some stories among IDPs have not been told,
such as from individuals or families that have stayed out of camps. Although much
of the current research focuses on refugees living in the big camps, this does not
tell the whole story. Many people do not live in big camps; they hide in the
forest, stay in small huts, or live outside villages, etc. We need to
understand their personal struggles to help them better. This paper explores
the untold story of IDP.
This research interviews 6 people (3 men and 3 women, ages 42 to 80)[2],
collecting their stories on their journey from their village to their current
hiding place. This study utilizes Qualitative Phenomenological Design,
specifically following the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)
framework. This approach is chosen to prioritize the "voice" of the
participants and to understand the meaning they attach to their suffering (Smith,
Flowers, and Larkin, 2009).
The analysis of the six narratives revealed four dominant themes that
define the IDP experience in Southern Shan State.
1)
The dark experience of fleeing. All six participants have the same comment on fleeing.
They did not flee only once; some fled three times, some fled four, and some fled
more. Most people did not flee only once. Even though they are older adults,
they had no other options because bombs were being dropped from the sky
(drones) and gunshots were getting closer to the village. There were only two
options for them: run or die. As a result, the civil war has made them tired
and hopeless. For example, participant
number-1 (P-1) said, “When the war stopped, we returned to our village. When
the war started again, we ran again. Every time we return home, the only thing
we saw was the house and village getting worse. They [the soldiers] were
stealing and destroying.” P-3 said, “I feel like I did not just leave my home,
I left everything behind that I have.” P-4 said, “Everywhere we [our family]
run to, we firstly try to find a safe area to stay because the gunshots and the
bombs can come anytime. Unfortunately, almost all our huts and camps were
destroyed.” P-6 said, “We got stuck running since the armed group got into the
village. We have no vehicle, so we can only bring the stuff that we can carry
in our hands and run on foot. On the road, some can give a lift but not the
whole family; we have no choice, and we take it. And our family got separated
on a run.” According to Trauma Theory (Herman, 1992), facing dangerous, life threatening
situations many times may lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In
this case, the suffering of individuals continues beyond the civil war, as the experience
of the dark zone is not forgotten.
2)
Care for elderly people. Everyone in the
village became displaced, including elderly people and children. Elderly people
cannot easily adjust to a new place. Some places are too hot, while others are
too cold. Because of being old, they can easily get sick in a new place. On the
other hand, they cannot get the right medicine; not because they cannot buy it,
but because the pharmacy does not have enough medicine in the camp. In addition to this, they do not have a
private place to bathe or sleep. P-2 (74 years old) reports that they have to walk
a great distance to get water, as the water well is far away from their camp.
P-4 (80 years old) explains that even though the water is unclean, it is all
they have and they have no choice but to use it. The food and the living style are very difficult
for them. (Lawton & Nahemow, 1973) have said that expecting that which is
not easy to have in society has become another crisis. So, for this case, physically
and mentally, the old people suffer too much and cannot get a suitable
environment. They are patient in an inconvenient situation, and they must ask for
what they need. For that reason, one big issue is related to the care of elderly
people.
3)
Economic crisis and working poverty. The
people in this study were farmers and grew up with agriculture. When they left
home, their land and their crops were destroyed by armed groups. They did not have
the money to stay in a good place. Without land and crops, they cannot grow
anything. Outside of agriculture, it is very hard for them to get a job. P-1,
3, and 5 are unable to support their family and are entirely dependent on aid.
4)
Resilience of suffering. Everyone in this
study is struggling with a dark situation, is trying to survive, and wants to
get their lives back. P-1,2,3, and 4 stated that “We cannot survive without
aid. The war is getting longer, so the food we have is not enough. We wait for any
support in a difficult time. We appreciate and thank you for your support.” P-6
said, “Having friends and meeting good people makes me feel better on the run.
My friends and relatives never let me down. Even though we are far away from each
other, we keep in contact online and support each other. This good relationship
allows me to survive mental suffering. P-5 and 6 stated “Buddhist teachings are
the only thing we practice helping us control our anger and be calm. The Dhamma
talks we have listened to have benefited us during these hard times.” So,
having support, connection with friends, and practicing Buddhist teachings are
indispensable for them at this moment.
In conclusion, the Internally Displaced Persons in Shan State are facing
physical danger, economic crisis, and psychological problems. Displacement is
not about them moving from place to place; it is about them losing their lives
and their futures. Adults have lost their jobs, and the elderly need more
appropriate support. However, the internal resilience of practicing the
Buddha’s Dhamma and social bonds enable them to survive the war.
This research makes three recommendations: First, special help for the elderly
is necessary. We must make sure health care,
and suitable physical facilities are provided. Second, improving mental health
is necessary. While communication and religion
may help people feel better, direct counselling may be the most effective
method. Third, the protection of farms
is necessary. We must find a way to help
the farmers with agriculture.
Keywords: Civil
war, elderly, IDPs, resilience, Shan State.
References
Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) 'Using thematic analysis in psychology',
Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), pp. 77–101.
Herman, J.L. (1992). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence--from
domestic abuse to political terror. New York: Basic Books.
Lawton, M.P. and Nahemow, L. (1973) 'Ecology and the aging process', in
Eisdorfer, C. and Lawton, M.P. (eds.) The Psychology of Adult Development
and Aging. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, pp. 619–674.
MIMU (2026) Myanmar Displacement Tracking Matrix. Available at:
(Accessed: 9 March 2026).
Smith, J.A., Flowers, P. and Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative
Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research. London: SAGE.
South, A. (2021). Conflict, displacement, and humanitarian response
in Myanmar. Abingdon: Routledge.
[1] Faculty of Graduate Studies,
University of Kelaniya. nandiya.ncc@gmail.com
[2] For Participants 1,2, and 3
were interviewed by Daw Kyi Win (She is a woman on a run along those
participants and displaced person also). For participants 4,5, and 6 were
interviewed by researcher.
